For better or for worse…

Things had become bad to worse over the last few months. She had been under house arrest by her own family. Loving a boy of another religion was the worst gift she had given her orthodox parents.  Her only hope - the housemaid, who could pass on the message to her lover.

The decision was made, to escape the land where love holds no meaning. She convinced the maid to deliver that letter to her lover, and in exchange parted with the stilettos her brother had got her from London.

On the fateful night, she fled home as the maid bid her a silent goodbye. “So far so good”, she thought as she crossed the first hurdle – getting out of the house secretly. The enthusiasm of being with her beloved surpassed the pain of leaving home without saying the final goodbye. But all was fair in love and war.

With dreams of a better life, she paced ahead on the foggy night towards her destination. She rechecked her watch. It was about time he would come there on his black Yamaha. She reached 10min ahead and saw a black bike waiting to zoom her away to eternal happiness. She was elated. “He kept his promise, he is the best”, she thought as she quickly sat on the bike and hugged him from behind. “Let’s run away from the land of hatred and honour killings to the land of love and peace”, she said. 

The foggy night and the helmet didn’t show his face, but the hug had familiar warmth. As the ignition started and the lights of a car following them fell on the side mirror, her worst fear came true…It was her brother riding the bike, not him.

This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda.

Diwali Delights – Besan Laddooos

I doubt if there is any other festival like Diwali…the festival of lights. Each festival brings its own joy but the euphoria created by Diwali is beyond comparison with any other festival. Since childhood, I have loved flocking to the market days ahead of Diwali to see the glitz and grandeur. Of course, with time and security breach incidents in my city, the trips have become focused towards malls. The unique decorations fascinate me and I keep standing there in silent appreciation of the creativity, till an irritated Mr. Hubby signals me to move ahead.

Each year, reports of adulterated khoya and sweets being seized hurt my ears almost like the loud bombs the naughty neighbourhood kids are splurging on, right now! Diwali is a festival of feeling the brightness and joy within and sharing it with people around. But I wonder what pleasure do some people get by spreading ill health, for some materialistic stuff called money that they would anyway end up burning in crackers.

So this year, Mr. Hubby and I decided not to take chances. Mithai boxes were replaced by juice hampers and dry fruits. Even the relatives loved the healthy transformation. But the problem was still not over. Lakshmi pujan is incomplete without sweets, however, I had decided to keep everything home made this time. As I was scratching my head heard for a solution this morning, I remembered a recipe I learnt during the initial days of my Hotel Management course. Besan Laddooos. 

Here’s how Mr. Hubby & I made yum and simple to make besan laddoos for the evening puja

Ingredients (For 12 laddoos)

Besan (ask for mota, thick besan) – 250g

Desi Ghee – 150g

Powdered sugar – 200g (can vary to taste)

Cardamom powder – 2 tsp

Assorted dry fruits – 100g, finely chopped

Method

We heated a kadai and poured the ghee into it. Once the ghee became warm, we put the entire besan and started stirring on low flame.

Tip: Patience is the key to getting the color and consistency right. Mr. Hubby and I stirred the besan alternately as it was getting painful and boring for one person to do it all alone.

After some time, the aroma of besan being cooked reach papa in law in the living room and before I knew, he was asking us when would the laddoos be ready as he was super tempted to eat them. “These are for Prasad papa, no laddoo before evening”, I announced as a helpless papa said “Oh…kay”.

It took us almost 20 minutes of constant stirring on low flame to get the colour right. The smell was more intense now and any more heat now would have made the mixture overdone.

We removed the mixture from fire and even though the smell enticed us to gobble up the mixture there and then, the Puja factor got us some patience. We waited for the mixture to cool a bit and slowly added the powdered sugar, mixing vigorously with hands. Mr. Hubby was hesitant initially but after he saw me enjoying mixing like a halwai, he too pitched in.

Along with the sugar came powdered cardamom and assorted dry fruits. The mixture was still warm when we made it into 12 small balls and kept aside.

Once cooled, the laddoos were all set to pamper Ganeshji and Lakshmiji.

Even though God might not speak explicitly, he loves the little gestures we do to show how much we love him. The laddoos were such a hit that Mr. Hubby and papa in law finished the entire dozen in few minutes (they would go to the kitchen at the pretext of having water and gobbled the entire lot, after the puja of course)…I really didn't know whether to frown or laugh as they looked at me like naughty kids trying to conceal a mischief!

Here’s the Traditional Diwali Menu for the evening -
Pethe ki sabzi
Aloo tamatar ki subzi
Poori
Kheer
Besan Laddoos
Choorma
Cost of the meal - Sunday afternoon siesta sacrificed
Look on the faces of my loved ones - priceless...

Just like our dear Lord Ganesh…I too love Laddooos. You can read my blog about the best places to have laddoos in Delhi here…do visit and feel free to add to the list!

Bon Appetit!

Happy Diwali!

Janmashtmi – then and now

Beautifully decked up Gopis (aka galz of the city), gleaming lights spread across temples, the aroma of delicacies being prepared in the kitchen, the festivity in the air, and enjoying it all from his jhoola, our cuties pie Laddoo Gopala, with a flute in his hand and a cherubic smile on his face…

Happy Janmashtmi!

Being born and brought up in Delhi, Janmashtmi has always been a big affair for me. I have lost track of the time since when have I been fasting every Janmashtmi. As a kid, my house was near the famous Birla Mandir of Delhi. Every Janmashtmi, I used to be up and ready in my new clothes, pestering papa to take me to temple. At that age, more than the bhajans and puja, I used to look forward to the lovely Jhoolas right outside the temple. Birla Mandir used to have some amazing moving Jhankis, one of their kind at that time. Many TV channels and thousands of devotees used to flock the temple garden to catch a glimpse.

 Post examining each Jhanki & enjoying the yummy Prasad came the best part – the Jhoolas and the fair outside the temple! With a twinkle in my eyes I would rush to each jhoola. I was super greedy about the Giant wheel and loved the butterfly in the stomach feel whenever the jhoola came down at a great speed. Every circle meant waiving to Papa, who would patiently wait downstairs, lovingly watching his bundle of joy enjoying the ride! I had to be forced to return home where mom would be busy preparing delicious food!

We shifted to the new house & the joy of jhoolas and temple jhankis was replaced by our very own jhanki! Me and my friends would spend the whole day creating jhanki out of household stuff. Blue surf detergent used to create river, toys to create villagers…the jhanki would be complete with a small boy & girl dressed as Radha and Krishna. As neighbourhood aunties flocked to our jhankis & appreciated our creativity, we would swell up with pride at our labour of love! Some generous aunty would sponsor the Prasad which was distributed after the midnight pooja.

Those were the days…

And now…amidst the hustle bustle of the city swelling with new inhabitants everyday, the charm of Janmashtmi has reduced to watching live coverage from temples on TV. Grandmother’s bhajans have been replaced by “Radha on the dance floor”. But I’m glad the charm of the festival remains, albeit with a modern twist (oops remix) to it!

Once or twice, we tried going to the good old Birla Mandir & Iskcon temple, but the swarm of people overcrowding the temple premises left me feeling claustrophobic. The delicious preparations are still made, just that they are now prepared by me and my mom in law. With frequent security threats, the common man now fears to venture out in crowded places on such days. Even the local Gopis feel unsafe with many a Kansas hovering around the city!

As I look at Lord Krishna enjoying his maakhan mishri , I wonder and say “Is this your Gokul?” where the Kansas have outnumbered the Krishnas

The Gopi inside sings a silent song –

Kansa bharey chaaron or (Kansas hovering around everywhere),

Kare humein pareshan, machayein shor (Troubling us),

Chalao Sudarshan bachao humein, lao chain chaaron or (Use ur Sudarshan wheel and save us),

Coz this Gopi wants a safe city once more!

Woman of Substance

Whenever God sends an angel to this planet, he gives her limitless love which she can spread in this cruel world, compassion that makes her care and nurture many lives, wisdom that can light up the whole society & tolerance to take upon her the pain of others. God calls her a woman. But that’s not all, God also bestows her with strength that can turnaround the worst of situations. That makes her a woman of substance.

Mrs P came into this world in 1947 – a year that changed the fate of our nation. Being born in that special year, she too was a special one, who had to change the lives of many others.

But it wasn’t a bed of roses for Mrs P. Born eldest of six children in the family; responsibilities and sacrifice were always showered upon her. And she too, took them with a smile. While India had achieved freedom, the women of that time were yet to get their share of freedom. Education was a luxury that was allowed only if the household chores were complete. P was a bright kid, always topping the class & bringing pride to the parents, while her brothers struggled to pass. The parents were glad as everything was in order, though the mother often worried, how would she find a match for P if she got too educated beyond the norms of the society? But, the father gave P hopes that she would become a nurse one day.

And then, destiny played its tricky game. P’s mother one day asked her to help the neighbor with tea as some guests had come over. Poor P didn’t know this was a trick to arrange meeting with groom side for P’s marriage. Everything was fixed. P cried and begged her parents to let her continue studies, but nobody took mercy on her. Two months before her eighteenth birthday, she was married off.

P’s life changed as she came behind the veil (ghoongat). The ritual of reading was overnight replaced by household chores, taunts from her sister in law & never ending household politics. But P was a woman of substance, she didn’t give up. She convinced her husband & resumed her studies. Ahead of her class, she soon her completed her bachelors & masters, a big achievement in her times. P was going to be a mother now. She wanted the best for her child and when she got a call for a government job, she thanked the unborn child for the luck. But, destiny decided to play its tricks once more. So a night before the interview was scheduled, P delivered a baby girl.

While the glass was half empty, P always looked at the glass half full. So, rather than getting disheartened at losing out on the job, the mother inside was overjoyed with her prized possession. Years passed, three more little angels were born, 2 girls and a boy. With career ambitions taking a backseat, P’s ambition now was to inculcate the best in her children. She prioritized them over everything else, taught them her secret mantra of positivism and sacrificed her comforts and aspirations to make them comfortable. She taught her daughters to be independent & prove that women can achieve anything they want. P had no regrets about her own broken aspirations, for she saw her own win each time the kids achieved milestones.

The children grew up & went on to achieve their dreams. While P was a satisfied mother, the angel in her wanted to do something more, something beyond the periphery of her house, something for the society. She had often seen the poor fall prey to ailments, unable to afford a decent treatment. P’s husband had retired by now. Along with him she decided to benefit the poor by her knowledge of homeopathy. Her clinic started in the living room of her small house. Treatment & medicines were free for all, as P, a meticulous planner had invested a part of her savings for the cause. The swarm of patients outside her humble clinic increased exponentially, as the news of her magical touch spread like wildfire. Sometimes the patients dropped in at odd hours. The husband would suggest she ask them to come the next day during clinic timings. But P, with unlimited compassion inside, entertained any and every patient even at the odd hours. Just like God, nobody was denied help at her doorstep.

P’s life had come a full circle. God had rewarded her for her zeal and efforts. She had achieved something beyond the usual materialistic possessions – ultimate satisfaction, immense love from strangers, and above all, the ability to make a difference in the life of others. She had truly excelled as a woman of substance.

Mrs P, the woman of substance, was my mother.

This post has been exclusively written for Woman of substance contest on Blogadda.com

A date with mungphalis & gazzaks in Delhi

Winters are here! And although Delhi isn’t shivering the way it usually does (Global warming..eh?) Delhiites are out to enjoy winters at their enthusiastic best, be it flocking to malls dolled up for Christmas or meeting up for Sunday brunches in Lodi Gardens.

Talking of winter fun takes me to my childhood days. My mother would bring lot of groundnuts, peanut chikki, phulley (popcorns), rewri & different types of gazak & we would enjoy them on winter afternoons in the comfort of our sun facing balcony. The weather would be comfortably sunny so as to wrap me in its warmth, without making me feel sweaty. Even my dog would have his share of groundnuts. We used to sit around ma as she patiently peeled the groundnuts & stuff it in our mouths. My dog felt like a king as he enjoyed special pampering. Ma would create a line on the floor with peanuts and he would follow the line, eating each peanut.

The joy of evening adrak waali chai doubled as we relished roasted shakargandi (sweet potato). The sweet potato chaat, topped with tangy lemon juice & chaat masala would make me close my eyes and take chatkaarey as the tanginess hit my palate!

Although you will find gazak at every departmental store, popcorns, roasted groundnuts & sweet potato with every second hawker in Delhi, hubby & I decided to visit two places which every experienced Dilliwalla would flock to.

Our first spot was old barafkhana. As we hit the T point and take a left towards barafkhana, the road on the left greeted us with wholesale shops selling groundnuts, gazak, rewri & lot of winter goodies. There on the roadside were sellers with roasted sweet potatoes, kachaloo, potatoes & starfruits. The sweet potatoes were beautifully arranged & the green outlining with starfruit immediately caught my eyes. The guy even had hot charcoal in a small earthen vessel on which he roasted some fresh sweet potato. My mouth watered at the sight of my favorite shakargandi & I quickly bought a kilo, dreaming of the spicy, tangy chaat.

Next, we headed to Kishanganj. From Old Rohtak Road, take the lane called goushala marg. (Here's the google maps link - https://maps.google.co.in/maps?q=Kishanganj+Railway+Station,+Kishan+Ganj,+Sarai+Rohilla,+New+Delhi,+Delhi+110007&hl=en&ll=28.664251,77.20081&spn=0.004707,0.010568&geocode=FbhhtQEdrv2ZBA&hnear=Kishanganj+Railway+Station,+Sarai+Rohilla,+New+Delhi,+Delhi&t=m&z=17&iwloc=A).

The road is congested with horses on the sides and getting a place to park your vehicle is a hard nut to crack. Just outside the Kishanganj railway station, just near the bridge, there is a narrow lane full of tempting delights. My eyes twinkled with excitement as I spotted all my winter delights at a single place. There were different varieties of groundnuts, gazaks, roasted chanas, namkeens…the list is endless. Behind every shop was its workshop and I could see workers preparing different types of gazzaks. The aroma of gazzak dough took me in its awe & I couldn’t resist trying few. I could see aunties with their experienced palates, like connoisseurs, trying one gazzak after another and going for the one that passed their tests while the uncles waited.

We stopped by a shop named “Matka brand mungfali bhandar”. Interesting name…why matka? I thought. The owner smiled as I asked him the same. Perhaps he was amused that in the hustle bustle of this narrow street, someone bothered about the name, as most customers hurriedly tasted, ordered & carried their stuff away. He pointed out to a huge earthen pot on the side of the shop and said “madam, ye hai matka, jismein chaney aur mungphali roast kartey hain.”(This is the earthen pot in which we roast the chanas & groundnuts. The huge pot sat beautifully on an earthen base and besides the oven, were lying loads of chanas & groundnuts. I could also see a machine used to prepare gazak mixture. The shop had amazing hing (asafoetida) flavored chana. There was an impressive variety of gazaks, you name it & they have it. The shop even sold Muraina gazaks (Muraina is a place in UP famous for its gazaks and every second packet of gazak will mention the word “Muraina” even if it is locally made). 

I greedily tried on various gazaks before picking up my all time favorite mungpahi patti, nazuk gazak, rewri, til patti, hing flavored chanas, mungphalis & popcorns. I tempted to pack some more goodies but seeing the condition of my hubby's hands overloaded with my shopping, I decided to have some mercy on him.

Streetfood fest@ Sitaram Bazaar

I just love October…the soft chill in the air, festivity, colors, sparkle, joy, excitement, shopping and my favorite…food! Delhites need an excuse to satiate their taste buds with the yummiest treats the city has to offer. Since I am not much into fasting, navratras for me are nine days of sheer gastronomical paradise. I get to savor the best of vrat (hindi word for fasting) and non vrat food. From the bhog at Durga Puja pandals to the specially designed navratra thalis at restaurants, it’s my yearly ritual to have them all. 

One event I really look forward to every year is the baadaa at Sitaram Bazaar, Old Delhi. Sitaram bazaar is Old Delhi’s chaat capital and when they come up with something special, it’s a must have. I first went there 4 years ago and since then there has been no looking back.

Baadaa is a midnight food festival (mela) organized during navratras and goes on till Dussehra. Nine days of festivities, late night melas and lot of joy. Sitaram Bazar, during the day is swarming with people. However, for the baadaa, shops close early and makeshift food counters are setup. 

The moment I stepped out of the Chawri Bazzar, the glitter, lights and the aroma of delhi’s delicacies surrounded me. Wow! I couldn’t wait to get started!

Chawri Bazar Metro Station

In front of Sitaram Bazar

The lights!

Making our way through the crowded lane and the umpteen rickshaws, we first reached New Ashoka sweets. An otherwise famous shop of Sitaram Bazaar, they serve special delicaies for navratras. All shops serve 100% vegetarian food and most will also dole out dishes you can have while fasting. In fact, I was surprised to see every second counter serving vegetarian seekh kebabs.  The shop was crowded as if it was serving food for free. The 20 min wait for my order was a torture as I could see (and worse, smell the amazing aroma) the delicacies people enjoyed and my mouth watered and watered. But the wait was worth it. Kebabs made of cottage cheese, served in spicy gravy, served with onion lacchha (salad) and rumaali rotis, made to perfection. I was amazed how, despite the mad rush, the order taker made no mistakes in delivery while the rumali roti guy dished out roti after roti within minutes. 

People waiting for their order

Veg Kathi kebabs

The rumali roti expert

Rumali Roti

Veg Kathi Kebab with Rumali roti & onion lachha

Next in line was aloo paneer tikki…flattened balls of potato and cottage cheese, spiced up and shallow fried till crispy. Tikkis have to be cooked on the right flame for the right time else the result gets messed up. Maybe thats why, people didnt seem that patient to wait and the stall was relatively less crowded. But patience pays.The guy served the tikkis with generous helpings of tamarind and mint chutney and … My mouth still waters as I write. Crispy, hot, spiced up, with dash of chutneys, I loved the tikkis.

Aloo tikki and chaat

I had heard so much about Kanji vadas from my mother in law, so the moment I spotted the cart selling them; I was after my hubby to try them out. Kanji vadas are pakodas (fritters) served soaked in spicy water (kanji) and is a must try whenever u come to Delhi. The pakodas could have been softer and fresh but the spicy water made up up for them.

Kanji vada

Once a week, I have a date with Chhole Kulchey, but the ones I had here were very different than the others. In a hurry, the guy, just sprinkled lots of masala on the chholey and sprinkled lemon juice without bothering to mix it up. But, voila, what a treat it was! Every bite a super spicy affair! My eyes were watery (tears of gastronomical joy!) and I was loving it.

Chhole Kulche

I also tried the moong dal chilla, pancakes made of moong dal, stuffed with coriander, cottage cheese and served with chutney. Didn’t find much difference between them and the usual stuff I get to eat at every second wedding.

Moong dal chilla

People waiting for their chilla

Right next to the chilla counter stood Om prakash Kulfi waala. The ice creams at Sitaram Bazzar are prepared in unique manually operated ice cream makers in front of your eyes, from real fruits, no added flavors. You won’t get this stuff anywhere else. A must try. I tried the mango and pomegranate ice cream and they just melted in my mouth! One of the best ice creams I ever had.

Kulfi cart

Manual ice cream machine

Mango ice cream

Pomegranate ice cream

I was about to leave when I spotted this cart with nankhatai. At Rs 20 for 100g, I got the freshest, warmest and softest nankhatais that only Old delhi can offer. I quickly gobbled few and got some packed for my tid bit treats at home.

Nankhatais

It was time to leave. The crowd was growing every minute and I was told this would be so till 1-2 at night. The liveliness was infectious and I didn’t want to leave. I filled the aroma one last time and hurried to grab the metro…

Some more pics from the fest...

Balloon seller

Masks popular with kids during Dussehra

Masks, bow and arrows 

Servers in traditional attire

Rickshaw carrying water jugs back from shops

   

Chuski shop

The joy of eating

Outside New Delhi Railway Station