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I first read about Kuchen in my German lessons. But
at that time, my knowledge was confined to the translation cake=kuchen. Actually,
Kuchen is much harder than our normal cakes, with a pie like outer covering
& stuffing inside. It was only after I started going to the carnival at the
German Embassy that I began to flirt with Kuchen, torte, Kartoffelpuree,
Spatzle etc. But the carnival doesn’t happen every day & I haven’t been
able to find a good affordable German eatery near my place.
Knowing my love for food & calories, God acted
kind. I got married into a family where one of our close relatives is German.
So, this time when I visited them, I raided their kitchen & expressed so
much love for their cuisine that Mausi happily ordered 2 Kg apples & made
not 1 but 2 Apfel Kuchens that I even got to carry to my Hostel!
So, here’s recipe for Apfel kuchen that I got to savor at
Mausi’s place –
For the kuchen, you will require (this is a recipe for 2 cakes)
Apples – 2 Kg
Cinnamon (goes really well with any apple dish) – as
per your taste
Baking Powder – 1 tsp
Sugar – to taste
Refined Flour (maida) – 1 kg
White unsalted butter – 300g
Cream /milk – to knead the dough
Method –
Sieve the refined flour & baking powder together.
Then, add the unsalted butter & knead a stiff dough using milk/cream. Once
the dough is done, rest it under a moist cloth for 15-20 min. This time can be
utilized to prepare the filing.
It’s
not the best thing to peel & slice 2Kg apples, but enthusiasm makes everything
possible! Anyway, once the apples are done (slices shouldn’t be too thin), add
sugar to taste & generous amount of cinnamon and mix it well.
The stuffing
The apples go inside
Then,
grease a cake mould, dust it and line it with a thick rolled sheet of the
dough, covering even the sides. Then fill the stuffing inside & sprinkle
few dumplings of the dough on top.
All set to be baked
The
cake is all set to through the grill, oops, bake! Their oven was a 2nd
generation gas oven (I doubted its capabilities, till I saw the perfect cake
baked). But you can use a normal preheated oven at 3500F. Bake the
cake for approximately 30-45 minutes.
The Oven
Once the cake was out, all of us started behaving like
kids, ready to pounce on the cake. The aroma of freshly cooked apples with
cinnamon….Oooh, you have to experience it to understand.
So, I suggest you try out this one & lemme know!
Kuchen is ready!
Another thing, unlike our usual cakes that become hard
with time, Apfel Kuchen tastes best when eaten a day after!
Last weekend,
I witnessed something that shook me inside. For some of you, this might be a
normal scenario, but maybe I am over sensitive.
Anyway, last
weekend, I was walking besides the flyover at IFFCO Chowk in Gurgaon. With constant traffic coming from Delhi-Jaipur highway, that road never sleeps. As I was walking, I heard
painful shrieks that were so disturbing that.....I have no words to describe here.
The sound was coming from the roadside. A beautiful, healthy black Pig lay on the
ground, surrounded by three cruel men. The men brutally hit the Pig's head with bricks, kicked
& hurt him with sticks. Shocked, I asked my friend what was going on.
“Oh, it’s a
normal sight here.” He said. They are going to kill the Pig and cook & eat
his meat. I know some or the other creature has to lay his life to satiate the
desire of non vegetarians. But I was more surprised when he told me the people
hitting him are the ones who raised him. This was shocking. I have been a proud
owner of many pets and never in my wildest dreams can I imagine killing my own
pet to satisfy my hunger. This wasn't even a do or die situation & the
people didn't look so malnourished that they were forced to kill that Pig so
brutally, just to satisfy their hunger.
Pic Courtesy:Google Search
Man is a
social animal, they say. But that day I realized that some human beings are
worse than animals. I am not trying to voice out my anger against non
vegetarians, after all each one of us have our own preferences. Nor I am
advocating vegetarianism through this blog (though I shall be glad if through
this post I am able to invoke sensitivity towards animals in even one person).
I am a vegetarian & maybe I can never understand the joy of biting into a
succulent leg piece.
But before
being vegans or non vegans, we are all humans. And just because God has made us
stronger than a lot many creatures, this doesn't mean we are free to abuse
their right to existence. Yes, there is a law of food chain but I am sure there was no desperate need to kill that innocent Pig. It was killed so that few people
could eat his flesh, drink some cheap country liquor and make merry. Its tough
to get birth as a human and its sad to see few brainless souls spoiling their
karma for momentary pleasures.
The Pig’s
howls became more painful every second. I stood there frozen, wondering what to
do. I am no activist & didn’t have any number in my mobile contact list
that could save that poor soul in the next few minutes I had. Few rickshawallas
enjoying the scene looked at me, smiled and said, “Madam, this is a usual scene.
They will have a feast tonight. What good was this Pig for anyway…hehe” I felt
my blood boil & I wanted to tell them to first go and kill so many human
beings who too are no good to this world. Rather they leave no stone unturned
to trouble others. Atleast this Pig hasn't done anyone wrong.
Pic Courtesy: Google Search
The shouts reached a high & then subsided,
getting lost in the sound of traffic. The Pig has had it enough. He had given
up. He lay motionless & powerless, perhaps with few breaths left while the
assaulters smiled & sighed with relief at a task accomplished.
I looked up
at the sky and said a silent prayer. May God make those assaulters Pigs in
their next birth.
Valentine’s
day is round the corner & there is so much overdose of love in the air.
From malls to online shopping portals, from gals craving for some mushy
pampering to guys hoping for cosy encounters, Valentine’s day is one event everyone
wants to cash upon! Just like kids have their hopes from Santa, adults
believing in chemistry of love eagerly wait for Valentine’s day to get some
spark in their lives.
But
then, me wonderzzz, miracles don’t happen on a single day for everyone. And It
somewhat irritates me that far from being a celebration of love, this day turns
out to be a Public & materialistic display of affection day! Amidst the
entire hullabaloo around for Valentine ’s Day, my heart still beats for people who
are their own Valentine. Who avoid going out that day, and the day after and
shy away from their single status. When friends ask “How was your day”, it seems
as if someone is asking progress report of the test you never took. One wonders
what to answer especially when friends boast of their experiences. I wonder,
love is eternal, then why so many hue and cries – as if cupid just finds that
one day to shower all the love in your kitty and leave you craving the
remaining 365 days if you miss the bus.
No, I am
no longer single, nor is this post a blog a celebration of the love hopefuls who
are yet single, but super ready to mingle. Just that every Valentine ’s Day
when I see over hyped feelings & enthusiasm, it reminds me of the long years
I have spent as a single girl.
It would
be dishonest to say I was hopeless about love. But getting oneself to love isn't as easy as shopping for grocery. It was fun to see people around me with a new
person every year, while I remained shamelessly single throughout college! The
single status in college although was an advantage since it saved a lot of mess
I saw the lovestruck souls get into (like taking out that dedicated time for BF
at the cost of lectures, manage the fight tournament, keeping a tab of things
said and done, the possessiveness bug, etc etc). However, come Valentine’s Day
and the same single status used to become an irritable feature of my existence.
All the bachelors in college would find out about the single girls in the
college & would make desperate attempts to find a Valentine who would save
them the embarrassment of being single on the Valentine’s Day. The already hooked up
souls weren't left behind & tried to play the perfect matchmakers. Now, if
Mr. X knew Miss Y and nothing happened between them throughout the year, how
would Valentine’s Day get them together when there was nothing to get them in love? Hehe…Would Valentine’s Day cast some sort of spell & make the same person appear lovable? I used
to wonder…
So,
after 1st year, I refrained from going to college on Valentine’s Day &
preferred to make my parents spend on dinner & gifts by telling them “I am your Valentine, now pamper me!” But the ordeal was far from over. Not going to
college on Valentine’s Day was taken as a sign that u one had a rocking date with someone
special outside college. And friends would shower questions like “How was your
day? Who is the one?” etc etc and no amount of plain vanilla honest answers
would satisfy them. Phew!
Relief
came when I started working. Yes, the suitors’ hunt for singles in the company
& the questions next day were a regular feature. But all at a subdued
level. And one could immerse self in work to create the perfect “I am too busy
for love” excuse.
But by
that time, I too felt motivated. Why should I be devoid of the fun, just
because I am single? So, I & my group of girlfriends began the culture of “Mera
V-Day”. We would dress up for ourselves & would cater to our
shopaholic & gluttony selves that day without any guilt or any stress of
any commitment! But whenever we looked at that perfect couple holding hands and
walk in the mall, we would secretly wish to be in their category by the next Valentine’s Day. The story would repeat every year.
Although
I met my hubby in the Valentine’s month, our 1st encounter missed
the Valentine’s Day by a few days. And by the next Valentine’s Day we were happily married! I
still remember our 1stValentine’s Day was a busy day, with a family wedding
& visits to relatives. While everyone asked about our plans, the wedding
ensured we had no privacy that day. So, by the evening when it was time to get
ready for the wedding, I had given up. “This too would be a normal day like all
the previous Valentines. Where’s Mr. Cupid now & where is his shower of
love & pampering? Guess it’s just another Mera V-Day so lemme doll up &
gorge on the greasy wedding food” I grumbled.
But happiness they say, comes in small
packages. So, when my otherwise shy hubby held me from behind & wished me
with flowers & …, I was taken by surprise! So, this was what V-Day was all
about, I giggled.
With age
comes wisdom (and now Mr. Hubby will say I’m growing old too fast) but having
been at both the sides of the table, I feel Valentine’s day is just a
celebration of love – whether with you yourself or that special someone (your
hubby, parents, kids, boyfriend, best friend, you yourself etc). Just like excess makeup
spoils the look, let’s keep this day sweet & simple. Let’s not pollute it
with overdose of commercialization, inflated stories etc etc. Let Valentine’s Day just be Valentine’s Day!
For all
those in love, a very happy Valentine’s Day, & for those who are still
single, love is inside & around, just embrace it!
It was our last
day in Darjeeling & we had to catch flight in the evening. So we decided to
take it easy. Boney’s had become our daily breakfast joint & the owner’s
face always had a huge smile whenever we visited him. Not because we looked
cute. The walk from hotel to Boney’s used to be beyond my capacity & he
felt pity for me as he saw Hubby motivating me with pastas & pizza to reach
the outlet!
We then decided to
take a longish walk in the bazaar & I picked up some tea for relatives
& friends. Lunch was at Glenary’s, a
famous eatery in Darjeeling. One didn't go there for food, but the location, ambiance music & WiFi actually the feel of the place made me feel as if I
was in one of those amazing restaurants u have in London & Paris. One could
just sit there for hours, an ideal place for a romantic date.
Since it was
season of landslides, Hubby got tensed about reaching Bagdogra on time. On the
way, as he & the driver discussed we didn't have much time, I secretly
wished we got another day so that we could cover Sikkim as well. But the
airline was more than supportive & the flight delay ensured we not only
reached the airport on time but also had to wait at the stuffed up lounge for
an hour.
When the plane
took off, I felt like a kid whose summer vacations were coming to an end. I was
going back to Delhi, to waking up early & going to office, the usual rut of
life. But was already looking forward to come again to explore Sikkim &
rafting at Teesta.
Delhi airport too
greeted us with showers & I still remember how I gorged on Rajma Chawal
like a bhukha sher as my mom in law looked and smiled.
This was our best
trip ever, loaded with lot of sweet memories. Mr. Hubby says, there is something magical
about Darjeeling. Makes you feel as if the time has halted so that once can
savor the simple joys of life. And that’s what life is all about.
Having wasted a
precious day on my food poisoning, we had to make the most of the remaining
trip in a jam packed itinerary. So we hired the hotel cab (hiring a cab comes
out expensive in Darjeeling) & left for Mirik Lake. Since it had just
rained, the ferns drizzle & greenery on the way looked splendid. The
houses, whether big or small had plants potted & walls painted. A feature I
noticed in every house on the way. Had hubby & I not fought on the way,
Mirik, with its pine trees & clouds passing through the lake would have
been a romantic paradise for us.
Pic Courtesy: Google Search
But I will always remember this place as the
place where we had our first serious fight (girls, they remember all the
firsts!). So while hubby was fagging away to show off his anger, I was trying
my best to attempt a long solitary walk on the bridge over the lake. I could
see people enjoying boating & Pony rides while we 2 stood with fowl
expressions on our face. It was best not to try anything more as we had paid
for the cab & didn’t want to spoil the trip.
They say sometimes
journeys are as beautiful as the destination itself. Such was the case with
Darjeeling. Terrace gardens with corn all over, I didn’t know how much to stop
& click. We stopped near the Nepal border area as I had not eaten at the
good restaurants on the way, thanks to our fight. It had also begun to rain. We
took rest in a small shop & I savored the best momos that even the best
restaurants in Delhi wouldn’t serve. Soft, fresh & steaming hot, they were
just the perfect thing on that rainy day. We gorged on momos & chai &
hubby made up for the fight by pampering me with perfumes etc.
The way to Teesta
& kalimpong is one of the most beautiful memories of my life. Let me share a little secret. The reason why
I had wanted to go to Darjeeling was that in the song “Pehla Nasha” from the movie
“Jo Jeeta Wahi Sikandar”, I had seen Amir Khan enjoying & falling on tea
plants & since childhood it was a secret wish to do the same. And when I saw the tea plantations, I just
shrieked “ooooooooh” like an overjoyed child! I went running towards the tea
plants & fell on one of them. Mr. Hubby was surprised & laughing! He
must’v been wondering what sort of a girl is this. Though now, he tells me he
was concerned for the plants since I had fallen on the bunch! Men…
We had a
longish photo session & a few meters ahead, we reached a place from where
we could see Triveni Point, the point where river Rangeet meets Teesta. I have
no words to describe how panoramic the view was so u can see these pics. The
calm river Rangeet coming from Kanchenjunga meets the turbulent Teesta coming
from Sikkim & the confluence is a treat to the eyes! A must visit.
Triveni Point from the top
The
driver told us, we were to go down to the Delta created by the confluence. Wow!
I couldn’t wait. We crossed the Teesta Bridge & reached the Delta. It was
monsoon time so the area wore a deserted look however; we were told that in
summers, the place is a rafting aficionado’s haven. I have done rafting at
Shivpuri as well, but Teesta was just too turbulent, with multiple rapids. I
wish it was season time so that I could enjoy the rapids. We enjoyed some
quality time together walking barefoot on the Delta’s wet sand & promised
we would return someday & do rafting at Teesta.
Teeestaaaaaa!
It was evening
when we reached Kalimpong & the driver had already warned us to keep
everything quick coz we had be back to hotel before it got late. The nine hole
Golf course there perhaps is the most scenic Golf course in the whole country! The driver also took us to Kalimpong cactus
garden which was a well maintained private property. We spotted some amazing varieties
of cactus together at one place.
Golf Course
Golf Course
There is also a
famous monastery at Kalimpong, the Tharpa Choling Monastry. The silence felt so
relaxing & we wished we had more time. But had to cover it in just
20 minutes and hurried to a temple. It was getting dark & it was
heartbreaking that I had come all the way from Delhi to Darjeeling & was
missing out on Sikkim due to a wasted day of food poisoning. But the damage had
been done. We reached hotel back in time for dinner but it had been a long
& tiring day & before we knew, we had dozed off. Read about the final day of the trip here...
We were woken by
the kukdoookoo of the rooster outside our hotel
window. Let me tell u something strange about this Rooster bhaiyya. We
all have heard that the kukdookoo happens with the crack of dawn. However,
rooster bhaiyya ensured the lazy folks got up on time. You could snooze the
alarm, nit him. His periodic kukdookoo could be heard way past afternoon as
well!
But something inside
me wasn’t right. The palak paneer I had gorged on the night before didnt go
well with my tummy. Burp & all the good things I had savored in dinner came
out one by one. Mr. hubby was scared of my sudden food poisoning. Medicine,
mint, chocolate, whatever I took refused to go inside. A SOS call to parents in
Delhi & some timely homeopathic medicines did some damage control.
We had planned to
head to Kalimpong and Sikkim that day but now my only option was to rest in my
hotel room & listen to Rooster bhaiyya. Mr. Hubby knows how to make the
best out of worst. Movie was a good option, I just had to sit & watch. In
Delhi, I am used to reaching in time, to get tickets in time. But this was
Darjeeling, laid back and chilled out. The theater showing Hindi movie was
almost empty! I enjoyed the show like a private screening & changed my seat
thrice until hubby signaled me to control.
By the time the show ended, my sickness had
disappeared and the tummy wanted some fuel. And we discovered this cosy eatery
called Boney’s snack bar in Capital Market. No fancy interiors or menu, but the
brother sister duo who run this place serve sandwiches & pastas as per your
choice & with free smiles & hospitality. Hubby became a fan of this
eatery & this became our breakfast point for the remainder of the trip. Read about Day IV of the trip here...
The hotel staff
had asked us to wake up early, for we had to go to Tiger Hill. We had heard so
much of “a must visit” Tiger Hill. Since the spot offered a scenic view of
Mount Everest along with Kanchenjunga, Hubby & I were up at 4 so that we
could catch the glimpse to our heart’s and camera lens’ content! But they say,
excess of everything is bad. Over excitement proved us expensive. Clouds played spoil sport. We waited and waited with endless cups of coffee. The place has a
lot of local women serving piping hot coffee they carry in thermos flasks. After
we realized it won’t be anything more than a coffee date, we decided to capture
whatever we could and moved on…
This is wat we expected (pic courtesy: Google Search)
This is what we saw
Spoil sport
The driver was a
good chap & seeing our disappointed faces, he suggested we visit the Ghoom
monastery which fell on the way back to our hotel. The toy train was like a
fast friend, meeting us every time we were out to explore the lovely
Darjeeling. It was a treat to see Ghum
station, a small platform which has retained its old world charm. You can even
catch a glimpse of the station in the movie Barfi.
Toy Train!!!
Ghum Station
Buddha Statue at Ghum monastry
Ghum monastery,
also known as Yiga Choeling Monastery has a 15 ft high statue of Maitreya
Budhha. My exposure to monasteries had till now been confined to the
documentaries on Discovery.Actual
rendezvous was a treat for my eyes. The colorful paintings, architecture, prayer bells spoke of rich culture. By now, we had began enjoying
the drizzle which never stopped. We got a nice blue umbrella from one of the
shops near the monastery.
Anybody loving to
shop in Palika Bazaar in Delhi would love the several shopping complexes in
Darjeeling. Just like Palika, the shopkeepers give u a visual scan & quote
the rates. I found the fashion sense a step ahead of Delhi & if you are
well versed with the tricks of bargaining, then it’s a shopper’s paradise!
A nice, long and
romantic evening stroll was followed by an authentic North Indian dinner &
we called it a day. Read about Day III of the trip here...
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