Mumbai ki wo pehli baarish

शायद बचपन में ही बारिश पसंद थी मुझे. बस. स्कूल से लौटकर अगर बारिश आ रही हो, तो खाना खाने से पहले बारिश में भीगना तो बनता ही था. अपने घर की हरी भरी बालकनी में मैं जमकर बारिश का मज़ा उठाती. क्यूंकि घर पहली मंज़िल पे था और मालती और चमेली की बेल काफी हद तक प्राइवेसी दिला देती थीं, मैं बारिश में ऐसे नाचती और नहाती की जैसे कोई देख न रहा हो! अंग्रेजी में कहते हैं न "dance like nobody is watching you" बस वैसे ही.

फिर पता नहीं कब बड़े हो गए.

जीवन में कितने सारे नियम बन गए. बालकनी से ज़्यादा देर तक नहीं झांकना. अच्छी लड़कियां ऐसे नहीं करती. सरे आम बारिश में नहीं नहा सकते. अच्छा नहीं लगता. और न जाने क्या क्या.

जैसे जैसे जीवन की व्यस्तता बढ़ती गयी, बारिश महज़ चाय पकोड़े लेकर बालकनी या खिड़की से बूंदों को देखने तक ही सीमित रह गयी. कभी कभी मैं और पतिदेव बारिश में लोधी गार्डन जाते सैर करने, और बेहद खुबसुरत अनुभव होता वह.

मुंबई ने इस सुखद अनुभव में भी ज़्यादा नमक डाल दिया.

मुंबई की वो पहली बारिश आज भी मुझे याद है...

मैं मुंबई कभी आना नहीं चाहती थी. दिल्ली ही मेरी सब कुछ थी. लेकिन जीवन इतना परिवर्तनशील और ज़िद्दी है की अक्सर जिस चीज़ से हम दूर भागते हैं, वही हमारे जीवन का एक अभिन्न अंग बन जाती है.

खैर....मैं मुंबई आ ही गयी.

संयोग तो देखिये, हम मुंबई में जिस दिन आये उसके अगले दिन ही बारिश ने दस्तक दे दी. मानो हमारा स्वागत कर रही हो.

मुंबई की बारिश दिल्ली की बारिश से काफी अलग है. न बादल, न आंधी, न गर्जन. बस ये तो कहीं भी, कभी भी, कैसे भी शुरू हो जाती है. दिल्ली की बारिश कुछ मिनटों में शांत हो जाती है. लेकिन मुंबई तो ऐसे बरसता है, मानो किसी ने पानी का नल ही खोल दिया हो. आप रुकें भी तो कितना. इसलिए यहां के लोग बारिश में भी चलते रहते हैं. रेनकोट, छाता और जूतों के सहारे. मुंबई नहीं रूकती।

कुछ दिन तो सब ठीक चला. सामान दिल्ली से नहीं आया था तो पतिदेव रोज़ दफ्तर छोड़ देते और शाम को लेने भी आ जाते. पर एक सप्ताह बाद मेरी गाड़ी घर के सामान के साथ आ गईं. फिर तो मुझे एकेले ही दफ्तर जाना था.  सोचा, जब ओखली में सर दे दिया है दो मूसल से क्या डरना!

वो सुबह मैं भूल ही नहीं सकती.

अपनी गाड़ी से मैं दफ्तर के सामने वाली पार्किंग में उतरी. हाथ में फोल्ड हो जाने वाली एक प्यारी सी छतरी, दिल्ली से लिया हुआ मेरा अच्छा सा महंगा बैग, सुंदर सैंडल्स पहने जैसे ही मैं गाड़ी से उतरी और पार्किंग के निकास की तरफ बढ़ी की एकाएक झमाझम बारिश शुरू हो गयी. बचने का तो सवाल ही नहीं उठता था. खुली पार्किंग में ऐसी कोई जगह नहीं थी जहाँ मैं पांच मिनट सर छुपा सकती।  लेकिन रुकने का फायदा भी कहाँ था. बारिश कौनसी रुकने वाली थी और दफ्तर के लिए वैसे ही देर हो रही थी.

अब सोचती हूँ, शायद रुक ही जाती तो यह कड़वी याद न बनती.

मैंने छतरी खोली और चलना शुरू कर दिया. चार कदम भी नहीं चली थी की बारिश से मेरी छतरी पलट गयी (बाद में समझ आया की मुंबई वाले इतने बड़े बड़े छाते लेकर क्यों चलते हैं). हवा इतनी तेज़ थी की लाख कोशिश के बावजूद वो छतरी ठीक नहीं हुई. जब तक मैं कुछ सम्भलती, मैं बुरी तरह भीग चुकी थी. बारिश के पानी से बैग और जूतों को दूर रखना चाहिए. यहां तो मेरा बैग और सैंडल्स बारिश के पानी में डूब चुके थे. चश्मे से कुछ नहीं दिख रहा था क्यूंकि बारिश ने उसे भी नहीं छोड़ा.

उस दिन हिंदी  फिल्मों की हेरोइन की तरह मैं भी बारिश में खूब रोइ. बारिश की बूंदो में मेरे आंसू भी घुल गए. मुंबई आने के निर्णय के लिए कभी ईश्वर को कोसा,  कभी अपने पति को, और सबसे ज़्यादा स्वयं को. पर अब पछताय होत क्या जब चिड़िया चुग गयी खेत!

आज मुंबई में रहते हुए ये मेरी छठी बारिश है. बारिश से मेरा नाता आज भी वैसा ही है. बस अब उतना रोना नहीं आता. बारिश के लिए बैग, जूते, कपड़े सब अलग होते हैं. बड़े बड़े छाते होते हैं.

बारिश से दोस्ती तो नहीं हुई, लेकिन इस दुश्मन से झूझना अब सीख लिया है. क्यूंकि मुंबई में रहना है तो बारिश का डटके सामना तो करना ही पड़ेगा.

पर मुंबई की वो सुबह, वो बारिश और वो आंसू मैं कभी नहीं भूल सकती.

Easy Eggless Ragi Biscuits

Getting Ragi in my daily routine had been on my wish list for quite sometime, especially after moving to Maharashtra and getting to know about the benefits of this superfood. 

My chai is incomplete without biscuits, be it any time of the day. In my quest to adopt healthy lifestyle, I recently realised that I was eating about 5-6 Marie biscuits per cup of tea! 

Even though packaged Marie biscuits look innocent and the labels try to further convince you they are healthy, the fact is that they are loaded with hidden calories. I realised it more when I began my attempts to bake my own biscuits. I could never get the perfect texture or finish and I would wonder how the packaged biscuits get it right in every single piece! Well, the secret lies in the various chemicals masked under the head raising agents mentioned in the ingredients. Don't believe me, read one yourself! Except for Amul biscuits, I have hardly seen biscuits that use even pure good butter. Mr. Hubby once ordered online some nice homemade biscuits made with wholewheat flour, jaggery and ghee. However, after reading the price label, I couldn't even eat one!

Necessity is the mother of invention. So, after various failed attempts and learning from my mistakes, I finally got them right. 

Here's the recipe

Ingredients

Ragi/Finger Millet Flour - 1/2 Cup

Wholewheat Flour - 1/2 Cup

Butter (Cold solid) - 1/3 Cup, cut into cubes

Powdered Sugar - 1/2 Cup (U may even use powdered brown sugar/jaggery powder)

Baking Powder - 3/4 tsp

Vanilla Essence - 1 tsp

Cold Milk - 1-2 tbsp

Oil - for greasing the baking tray

Method

1. Roast the Ragi flour on low-medium flame till you can notice the aroma. We do not need to roast till the colour change. Just enough to let go of the rawness. Once done, remove and set aside to cool.

2. Sift together the Ragi Flour, Wholewheat Flour and baking powder and mix well.

3. Sift in the powdered sugar into the flour mixture and mix well.

4. Add the cold butter cubes and rub with the flour using fingers until the mixture gets a crumble like texture.

5.  Make a bay in the centre and add the vanilla essence.

6. Slowly, add little by little milk and bind the mixture. Do not knead. Just enough milk to bind the mixture will do.

7. Refrigerate the mixture for 20-30 minutes or till it gets firm.

8. Dust a working table. I have used my granite Chakla on which we prepare Chapatis. Gently roll the dough into a 1" thick sheet. Honestly, I used my hands to do most of the flattening. However, it depends on one's comfort.

9. Using a cookie cutter, cut the biscuits in desired shapes. I used the lid of the baking powder bottle.

10. Arrange the biscuits on a greased baking dish and bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for about 15-20 minutes.

11. Remove and keep on a wire rack for cooling. The biscuits will appear soft when hot however, please dont be tempted to overbake or you will end up with jaw breaking biscuits (been there, done that!). They will automatically get firm once they cool.

12. One cool, store in an airtight container and enjoy guilt free!

60 seconds of sisterhood

At the busy BKC-CST Road signal, when I was sulking over how each day traffic multiplies
I caught gazing at me from the adjacent Auto, a pair of eyes.

This was no eveteaser, the gaze didn't have an uncomfortable feel,
This was a pair of beautiful Kohled eyes, gazing at me from behind a veil.

Perhaps my blue sleeveless blouse and green saree caught her attention,
The narrowing corners of her eyes hinted at a complimenting smile and I smiled in reciprocation.

A mixed bag of emotions behind those eyes could be seen.
Sadly, the sisterhood lasted 60 seconds and the signal went green.

Just then, her gaze signalled me to look down,
The sight would have surely made her mother frown!

She pulled up her Burqa for a moment & I spotted chic red pencil heels,
But the trendy pair of jeans covering her calfs was the real fashion steal!

My curious look turned into a look of awe at once.
I smiled at her, signalling "Ja Simran, Jee le Apni Zindagi" coz you only live once!

(Inspired by a true incident)

Easy Eggless Banana Walnut Bread

Every time I go to a bakery, one thing that attracts me is Banana Walnut Bread and I always give in to the craving. A good book, a mug of coffee and a slice of Banana Walnut bread is all you need on a lazy evening. 

Thanks to motherhood, I am confined to the house these days. Few days ago, as the children went off to sleep late afternoon, I craved for that book-coffee-banana walnut bread moment. And so, the hunt began for the easy eggless recipe. 

Since I baked this bread late at night, I got to enjoy it only the next morning. I then realised that it makes for an excellent breakfast on the go. Unlike the original recipe, I used 100% wholewheat flour and was very impressed by the outcome. Also, I suggest vanilla essence if you don't like the aroma of ripe eggs (Mr. Hubby doesn't!)

The bread lasts 2-3 days if stored in an airtight container, but I can assure you it turns out to be so yum that it will get finished in a day!

Ingredients

Ripe Banana - 2 No.

Walnuts - 1/4 Cup, chopped

Castor Sugar - 5 tbsp

Melted Butter (I used salted) - 1/4 Cup

Vanilla Essence - 1 tsp (optional)

Wholewheat Flour/Atta - 3/4 Cup

Baking Soda - 3/4 tsp

Warm milk - 1/4 Cup or as required

Method

1. In a blender jar, take the banana pieces and castor sugar and blend together into a fine paste.

2. In a mixing bowl, take the melted butter. Add the mashed banana-sugar mixture, vanilla essence and beat well into a smooth and light mixture. Wet ingredients are ready.

3. Sieve together the wholewheat flour and baking soda. Dry ingredients are ready.

4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and fold gently to mix the ingredients. Do not over mix.

5. Add the chopped walnuts and fold slightly.

6. Transfer the batter to a greased and dusted loaf tin and tap the tin once or twice to let the batter spread evenly.

7. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180 degree centigrade for 35 minutes or until a knife comes out clean.

8. Cool for 5-10 minutes. Then loosen the sides using a knife and demould.

9. Let the bread cool for 10-15 minutes. Then, slice and serve at breakfast or tea time.

Look how soft it is...

Bon Appetit!

Wholewheat flour eggless pancakes - healthy recipe

When we were newly married, my hubby used to make impromptu demands for something sweet post dinner. Let me tell you, he isn't the types who you can please with cakes and mithai stored in fridge. He is very picky about food, which has been a blessing in disguise for me. For, had it not been his tantrums, I wouldn't have focussed so much on getting my dishes right.

Well, coming to pancakes. Pancakes in my life reinforce the saying "practice makes a man woman perfect!"I love pancakes so much that I can prepare them anytime of the day. These wholewheat pancakes in particular are my hubby's favourite. Each time he would demand for them post dinner, my MIL and I would give him dirty looks but eventually, he would have his way!

Now my son too loves them. I am posting the basic recipe here. You can add mashed banana, nuts etc as per your choice.

The saunf and jaggery are very good for digestion and wholewheat flour too is easy on the tummy!

Ingredients (Makes 3-4 pancakes)

Wholewheat flour - 2tbsp

Jaggery - 1 1/2 tbsp or to taste

Water - 1 Cup or as required

Fennel Seeds/Saunf - 2tsp

Oil - 1tbsp

Method

1. Dissolve jaggery in water. 

2. In a bowl, take flour. 

3. Slowly add the jaggery water and mix well to form a slightly thick batter. The batter is slightly thicker than the pancake batter else the pancakes will stick on the tawa.

4. Add the saunf and mix well. 

5. Heat a tawa and grease well with oil.

6. Pour the batter in circular motion. 

7. Pour oil from sides. Flip only when one side is cooked well and cook from the other side as well.

8. Serve hot. You can sprinkle some castor sugar or honey or syrup on top but I didn't as my son loves these pancakes just like that. 

Few Tips and tricks

1. I am used to preparing this on an iron tawa however, if you are a beginner, I suggest play safe with non stick pan.

2. Many a times my pancake used to stubbornly stick to the tawa despite the temperature being right. I then discovered that excess sugar led to this. So, ensure the sugar quantity is not too much.

3. The key to a good pancake on iron tawa is the right temperature. Too much or too less can lead to a broken pancake. Heat the tawa adequately before pouring the batter and then reduce the flame to medium. Then once one side is done, flip and cook on medium to low flame. 

4. You can add mashed banana, nuts, cardamom powder and many other variations as per your choice. 

Sabudana Kheer

/span> While moms may go to any length and breadth to make their children happy, they end up ignoring themselves. Whenever we are fasting together, my mom in law prepares a lavish fare as she knows I'm a foodie. But when she is fasting alone, she makes excuse that she is fasting strict and will break her fast next morning. 

I guess when parents get old, we children need to become their parents. It's a kind of role reversal. One can't ignore one's health.

So, when MIL was taking a nap, I soaked sabudana chupke se 

And prepared Sabudana Kheer for her in the evening.

Do I have to tell how happy she was?

Small joys of life! :)

Ingredients

Milk - 1/2 litre

Sugar - 1tbsp (I have shown the spoon used in pics)

Sago/Sabudana - 1/2 Cup Soaked for 5-6 hours

Fox Seeds/Makhana - A handful, roasted

Green Cardamom/Elaichi Powder - 2tsp

Chopped Nuts - For garnishing (Optional. I haven't used nuts as I prefer the kheer without them)

Method 

1. In a heavy bottomed pan, boil the milk. I have used a kadai here for a very weird reason. At weddings, I notice Halwais with their kadai full of milk, which they serve with Jalebis! Also, I had just prepared carrot kheer for my son in the kadai so you may notice some red carrot strands in my kheer!

2. Once the milk boils, reduce the flame and add the soaked Sabudana, stirring continuously.

3. Grind the roasted Makhana in mixie to a coarse powder. Just one small blend will give you the desired result. 

4. Add the makhana powder and elaichi powder to the milk and mix well.

5. Once the kheer begins to boil (this time at low flame) and begins to reduce, add the sugar and mix well.

6. Mix well and cook on medium flame for another 3-4 minutes, stirring continuously and tadaaa! The kheer is ready!

Trust me, there cannot be an easier way to earn brownie points from your fasting mom or mom in law!

Happy Navratra!