Yunhi aaj bahut dinon baad phir se maine subah 8:15 ki local li.......
Apne chir parichit dabbe main chadhi..... aankhein anayas hi dhoondne lagi..
Us school teacher ke gang ko.... us pyaari dadi ko apne pote ke saath...
KC college ki us stylish ladki ko... bina shabdon ke jo roz naye navele fashion trends ka gyaan de deti thi....
Us nayi naveli punjabi dulhan ko, jiski sagaai se shaadi tak ka safar hum sab ne uski phone vartaalap se tay kiya tha...
Mere office ki building main hi kaam karne waali parsi madam ko jo bina naga humesha pyaari si muskurahat deti thi...
Aur main dhoondne lagi us choti ladki ko jo rang birangi chudiyaan liye us dabbe main roz rehti thi,,,
Chickoo bechne waali boodhi amma,,,, Khakhre bechti gujju ben....Maxi bechti hui woh christian granny
Bahut dhoonda.... aaj koi nahi tha...... 6 mahine aur sab kuch naya.....
Aur anayaas hi mujhe yeh dabba begaana lagne laga, sab naye chehre...
Aur anayaas hi dil main ek tees uthi aur yaad aaya, "aadmi musafir hai, aata hai jaata hai....."
Aaj yakeen ho gaya, hum sab musafir hi hain, aur yeh sansaar ek dharamshaala...
Par yeh bhi sach hai ki in mook aur alakshit doron se hi yeh sansaar sansaar hai aur hum jaanwaron se bhale...
Main shayad kal phir se taxi se jaaon kyunki woh dabba mere liye ab aparichit hai,,, shayad woh un aparichit logon ka moh tha jo mujhe aaj train ki or kheenche le gaya.... us train ka akelapan meri taxi ke akelepan se jyada bojhil tha...... Ya shayad main koshish karoon aur naye chechron ko jaane pehchaane chehron main tabdil kar doon.... pata nahi.....
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
The Mexican Twist
It was exactly two years ago that I attended Mexican food classes to do something fruitful in an otherwise totally vella second year at IIM Ahmedabad...
Gujju land had its benefits as well for a vegetarian like me and all recipes that were to be taught, were custom made to suit vegan tastes ;)
My first attempt at trying out the cheesy nacho dip, a month later at home, failed miserably (thanks to the overtly health conscious sis and me.... we literally reduced the cheese content to 1/4th and hence the taste had to go awry....) That was a huge setback.... So, whilst I continued experimenting successfully with other cuisines, I never really went on to try other mexican bits except for baked bean grilled sandwiches on and off.....
But on this new year eve, with the whole family around, I finally decided to roll out a mexican main course. However, mom was sweet enough to keep an Indian backup option.... just in case ;)
Although Mexican cuisine matches the Indian food in terms of taste and spicy flavour, the dishes are a blend of several smaller, independent preparations....these intermediary dishes can be permuted and comutated to form a number of different delicacies....
Here is a list of the Mexican delicacies that went thankfully right this time ;)
Nachos and Tortillas
Both Nachos and Tortillas share the same dough and approximately the same cooking procedure. For their dough, we need
Maida (all purpose flour) : 1 cup
Maize flour: 1/3rd cup
Pinch of turmeric
1 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp chilli powder
Salt to taste
Mix all the ingredients of the dough and knead it with water. The dough shouldn't be hard and should have the texture of dough kneaded for parathas. A pinch of oregano can also be added to it
Make thin rotis out of this dough and heat it on a roti plate / tava, approximately 2-3 mins on each side
Tortilla bases are ready
To make nachos, cut each of these rotis into 6 triangular pieces and deep fry them for a min, till they turn light brown and crisp. The nachos are ready. You can alternatively grease and bake these traingular pieces (for an healthy option)
Salsa Sauce for Nachos
Tomatoes: 3
Red and Green Chilli: Chopped (2 tsp)
Onion : 1 finely chopped
Chilli powder: 1/2 tsp
Capsicum: 1
Oregano: 1/4 tsp
Sugar: 1/2 tsp
Vinegar
Pepperica
Salt: To taste
Oil: 1 tsp
1. Pierce a fork into capsicum and roast it on gas
2. Blanch the tomatoes by boiling in hot water for 5-10 mins (depending upon the tomato stiffness). Remove the peel and chop it into small pieces
3. Put oil in a skillet and add chopped onions. Fry them a bit (dont let them turn brown)
4. Then add the chopped roasted capsicum to the fried onions
5. Add the chopped tomatoes as well. Add green chilli rings and spice it wth pepperica and a bit of chilli powder
6. Add little salt (1/2 tsp), vinegar (1/2 tsp), sugar (1/4th tsp), and sprinkle oregano on it
7. Now add 1/4th cup of water
8. Using a low headed tablespoon, mash all the contents in the skillet
9. Mix well. The salsa sauce is ready
Alternatively, u can grind it corasely in a mixer
Fried Beans
Baked beans available in cans
Oil: 1 tbsp
Ginger: 1/2 tbsp (finely chopped)
Garlic: 1/4tbsp (finely chopped)
Chilli: 1/4 tbsp (finely chopped)
Chopped onions: 1/4 cup
Capscicum (chopped): 2 tbsp
Salt, pepperica, oregano, vinegar (1 tsp), sugar (1/2 tsp)
1. Put some oil in the skillet.
2. Add onions, ginger, garlic, chilli and capsicum. Fry for 2-3 mins
3.Then add 1 cup of baked beans
4. Add salt, pepperica, oregano, vinegar and sugar
5. Mix well
Mexican Sauce/ Hot Sauce
Ginger: 1/2 tbsp
Garlic: 1/4 tbsp
Chopped onions: 1 large
Tomato puree: Boil 3 tomatoes and make a puree by grinding them in a mixer
Salt, sugar, pepperica, chilli powder and oregano (to taste)
Tomato Ketchup: 1 tbsp
1. Put 1 tbsp oil in a pan. Add chopped onions and fry for 1-2 mins
2. Add ginger and garlic paste. Then add the tomato puree. If you think tomato puree has made it thin, then add 1 tbsp cornflour
3. Add 1 tbsp chilli tomato ketchup
4. Add all the seasonings
5. Mix well on the stove
Nacho with Salsa Sauce
Now all the input ingredients to the dish are ready
On a baking dish, spread the nachos. Spread the baked beans (directly from the can) on them. Spread the salsa sauce over it. Garnish with 2 cubes of grated cheese (amul or mozarella). Sprinkle pepperica and some salt. Bake the dish till cheese melts
Alternatively, you can use the salsa sauce as a dip and eat nachos with it
Enchilladas
Grease the oven plate with butter and pour the hot Mexican sauce.
On the tortilla base, spread the fried beans in the center. Then on it spread boiled corn (1 tbsp for each tortilla), 20 gm grated paneer, 1 tbsp chopped capsicum and 1 tbsp chopped spring onion
Fold the tortilla ends and put it in the plate over the sauce. Cover the folded tortilla with more mexican hot sauce. Garnish with corn, chopped capscicum, shredded onion, grated paneer and 2 cubes of grated cheese
Bake it in a preheated oven till the cheese melts. Be careful, that the sauce doesnt dry and get burnt in this time
Gujju land had its benefits as well for a vegetarian like me and all recipes that were to be taught, were custom made to suit vegan tastes ;)
My first attempt at trying out the cheesy nacho dip, a month later at home, failed miserably (thanks to the overtly health conscious sis and me.... we literally reduced the cheese content to 1/4th and hence the taste had to go awry....) That was a huge setback.... So, whilst I continued experimenting successfully with other cuisines, I never really went on to try other mexican bits except for baked bean grilled sandwiches on and off.....
But on this new year eve, with the whole family around, I finally decided to roll out a mexican main course. However, mom was sweet enough to keep an Indian backup option.... just in case ;)
Although Mexican cuisine matches the Indian food in terms of taste and spicy flavour, the dishes are a blend of several smaller, independent preparations....these intermediary dishes can be permuted and comutated to form a number of different delicacies....
Here is a list of the Mexican delicacies that went thankfully right this time ;)
Nachos and Tortillas
Both Nachos and Tortillas share the same dough and approximately the same cooking procedure. For their dough, we need
Maida (all purpose flour) : 1 cup
Maize flour: 1/3rd cup
Pinch of turmeric
1 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp chilli powder
Salt to taste
Mix all the ingredients of the dough and knead it with water. The dough shouldn't be hard and should have the texture of dough kneaded for parathas. A pinch of oregano can also be added to it
Make thin rotis out of this dough and heat it on a roti plate / tava, approximately 2-3 mins on each side
Tortilla bases are ready
To make nachos, cut each of these rotis into 6 triangular pieces and deep fry them for a min, till they turn light brown and crisp. The nachos are ready. You can alternatively grease and bake these traingular pieces (for an healthy option)
Salsa Sauce for Nachos
Tomatoes: 3
Red and Green Chilli: Chopped (2 tsp)
Onion : 1 finely chopped
Chilli powder: 1/2 tsp
Capsicum: 1
Oregano: 1/4 tsp
Sugar: 1/2 tsp
Vinegar
Pepperica
Salt: To taste
Oil: 1 tsp
1. Pierce a fork into capsicum and roast it on gas
2. Blanch the tomatoes by boiling in hot water for 5-10 mins (depending upon the tomato stiffness). Remove the peel and chop it into small pieces
3. Put oil in a skillet and add chopped onions. Fry them a bit (dont let them turn brown)
4. Then add the chopped roasted capsicum to the fried onions
5. Add the chopped tomatoes as well. Add green chilli rings and spice it wth pepperica and a bit of chilli powder
6. Add little salt (1/2 tsp), vinegar (1/2 tsp), sugar (1/4th tsp), and sprinkle oregano on it
7. Now add 1/4th cup of water
8. Using a low headed tablespoon, mash all the contents in the skillet
9. Mix well. The salsa sauce is ready
Alternatively, u can grind it corasely in a mixer
Fried Beans
Baked beans available in cans
Oil: 1 tbsp
Ginger: 1/2 tbsp (finely chopped)
Garlic: 1/4tbsp (finely chopped)
Chilli: 1/4 tbsp (finely chopped)
Chopped onions: 1/4 cup
Capscicum (chopped): 2 tbsp
Salt, pepperica, oregano, vinegar (1 tsp), sugar (1/2 tsp)
1. Put some oil in the skillet.
2. Add onions, ginger, garlic, chilli and capsicum. Fry for 2-3 mins
3.Then add 1 cup of baked beans
4. Add salt, pepperica, oregano, vinegar and sugar
5. Mix well
Mexican Sauce/ Hot Sauce
Ginger: 1/2 tbsp
Garlic: 1/4 tbsp
Chopped onions: 1 large
Tomato puree: Boil 3 tomatoes and make a puree by grinding them in a mixer
Salt, sugar, pepperica, chilli powder and oregano (to taste)
Tomato Ketchup: 1 tbsp
1. Put 1 tbsp oil in a pan. Add chopped onions and fry for 1-2 mins
2. Add ginger and garlic paste. Then add the tomato puree. If you think tomato puree has made it thin, then add 1 tbsp cornflour
3. Add 1 tbsp chilli tomato ketchup
4. Add all the seasonings
5. Mix well on the stove
Nacho with Salsa Sauce
Now all the input ingredients to the dish are ready
On a baking dish, spread the nachos. Spread the baked beans (directly from the can) on them. Spread the salsa sauce over it. Garnish with 2 cubes of grated cheese (amul or mozarella). Sprinkle pepperica and some salt. Bake the dish till cheese melts
Alternatively, you can use the salsa sauce as a dip and eat nachos with it
Enchilladas
Grease the oven plate with butter and pour the hot Mexican sauce.
On the tortilla base, spread the fried beans in the center. Then on it spread boiled corn (1 tbsp for each tortilla), 20 gm grated paneer, 1 tbsp chopped capsicum and 1 tbsp chopped spring onion
Fold the tortilla ends and put it in the plate over the sauce. Cover the folded tortilla with more mexican hot sauce. Garnish with corn, chopped capscicum, shredded onion, grated paneer and 2 cubes of grated cheese
Bake it in a preheated oven till the cheese melts. Be careful, that the sauce doesnt dry and get burnt in this time
Before Baking
Ready to be eaten
Bon Appetite !!
Monday, January 04, 2010
Knock Knock....
He comes in...
They continue sitting.... distant, unattached, unperturbed...
No sign of seeming familiarity to one another and to him...
Composed demeanour, non-chalant glance...
All is fine, rather nothing seemingly out of place......
He leaves.....
Satisfied he hasn't disturbed....
The space narrows, familiarity regained.
He comes in...
They continue sitting.... distant, unattached, unperturbed...
No sign of seeming familiarity to one another and to him...
Composed demeanour, non-chalant glance...
All is fine, rather nothing seemingly out of place......
He leaves.....
Satisfied he hasn't disturbed....
Mild giggles...turning louder, deeper.....
A sigh of relief at the secret well hidden...
Strange are they, stranger the games they play..
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
