Celebrating Cake!

It’s a haunting question in my mind too. Ideally there’s a lot of things that can embark or mark the beginning of a celebration. But be it a birth, marriage, graduation or congratulation, a cake is always the star of the evening. I pondered upon this for a lot of time and wondered just this ; is it traditional and old fashioned or are there other reasons. And guess what?? I found too many answers. But the best ones were too simple to be true.

Cakes or Gateaux or Pastries are foods of the heavens. They are cravings and soul foods. I pity people who cannot connect yet alone like cake for one reason. They do not know how magical it is. Seriously even when I think of cake, I get this broad smile on my face and I know its something I would prefer to any gift in the world. Not that it’s the case with everyone. For me a cake is the epitome of making someone feel special. Think about it. When you buy a cake or gift someone a cake or even cut a cake of your own, you get this feeling of dominance and happiness. You know that what ever the outcome, that cake will bring a smile. I haven’t heard of a cake that’s ever depressed someone actually. I know of a lot of cakes that have got people out of depression though.

Celebration. Of any kind. You have cake, you are celebrating. Even in solitude if you have cake. You are celebrating an unending feeling of contentment and happiness. Cakes symbolize occasions. They are cut to either mark the beginning of a celebration or the end. That’s why the occasions where a cake isn’t cut are incomplete. I know of a time when an uncle of mine decided not to bring a cake for my aunt’s birthday because he felt it was a “waste” (yea whatever!!). when he said that to me I felt like someone had ripped me apart. How could you deprive someone of their celebration cake?? Its mortal sin! We immediately went to the nearest department store and picked up a tin cake and a few “smarties” and strewed them all over the cake and pinned candles everywhere. My aunt saw that and took us to an “all-you-can-eat” pizza buffet at Ponderosa that night. See the perks it has?

Finally a cake is your first flash in the head to a special memory. Think of any memory that makes you feel so happy that you could dance and a cake will be there somewhere at those times. You will always have a moment in life where the cake was what gave that “oomph” factor to the entire celebration. My dad had send my mom a pink heart shaped cake with a ring right on the centre on their 15^th Valentines. My brother’s first tooth break. My first date at the most perfect place.

I adore, respect and applaud any and everybody who can make a good cake for someone. It is one of the most heart filled gifts you could give someone. And it is definitely the reason you make someone feel the star of the evening.

To all you cake lovers…. Glutton away!!!

Pakoras and Rains!

It rains! And it rains as I speak! I write I mean… Its time for one seasons end and the beginning of a new food episode! Not that summer for me is gone completely but yaya! Rain! It wont be long before I start to feel irritated about the rains again though. They say too much off anything aint any good right? I feel so about the rains. There comes a time where Ive had enough of it actually. Too many wet clothes, too much breeze and too many pakoras and chai sessions!

Pakoras and Chai are the Romeo and Juliet of the Monsoon theatre. While one is incomplete without the other, kill the taste in one and you’ve murdered the other too. On a rainy day, pakoras with a cup of hot adraki (ginger) chai comes as a perfect blessing. Interestingly, even high-end hotels are offering special menu of pakoras and tea in this rainy season. Pakoras are made with different vegetables, which are dipped in a besan (gram flour) batter and deep-fried. Of course, if you are calorie-conscious then pakoras are not for you. But how about giving calorie thoughts a miss once in a while? And if you are still adamant, then there will be a time in these monsoons when you wont get your precious rickshaw from the station and that time you will have to walk home. Will it be worth it then? Why fuss so much and enjoy it before hand only.

The best pakoras are the ones accompanied with tea. I don’t think the chutneys that come with it make much of a difference. Ill tell you why. And ironically this was told to me by one of my favourite uncles, Naveen Shetty. His logic was simple. Pakoras are doused in oil. And when you eat too many of them, you tend to feel a little uneasy and heavy on the digestive system. This is because the oil on the pakoras manages to stick on your food pipe (I know you are grossed out but don’t worry ill pull you out of your misery). The tea, since it is piping hot, melts the fat in the way and clears your system out so that you don’t feel as uneasy as before. That is the reason if you have a few pakoras with tea, you don’t feel like you’ve swallowed an entire bucket of oil in the bargain (may be a tiny tub in the bargain).

My dad makes the best pakoras in town. By far they beat my mom too sometimes. We used to make them on Thursdays in Kuwait when I was young. It was like a welcome home present for my mom and symbolized the beginning of the weekend. 6 of us on a round table with tubs of tea and dad dishing out hot onion bhajiyas and potato pakoras at the same time. Yum! I never understood the secret of his recipe. They had this one distinct taste that even mom couldn’t decipher initially. But gradually and once I joined culinary school I got the hint. It was a pinch of Ajwain (bishops weed). That just lifted them to another level. You should give it a try.

I can hear the sizzle of the oil as the batter hit it right now in my house! We are having spinach and cauliflower today. My job is to make the tea and we will sit and reminiscence of our lives in a while at our window sill . Pakoras and chai are ordinary but when you sit to have them you have some of the best gossip and conversations around in hand. Think about the last time and you’ll break into the most randomest and broadest smile in town! It is also preferred in the rains solely because you wont sweat and soil in the summers to make them in the kitchen. And winters are the time for comfort food. Not pakoras. Pakoras are foods that bring memories and start chats with. They are shared to forget the inhibitions and to make you feel better even if you have an extra one.  I have my brother wanting to explain to me a new card game in some time. What is your conversation excuse? For a plate of pakoras ofcourse!

DADA'S PAKORAS!

Ingredients:
1 cup besan (gram flour)
1 tablespoon of coriander powder
1 teaspoon of red chilli powder 
2 chopped green chillies
2 tablespoons chopped hara dhania (coriander leaves)
2 large onions chopped
½ tsp jeera (cumin)

A pinch of ajwain
Salt as per taste
3/4 cup of water (Use water as needed)
Oil to fry

Method:
- Mix all the dry ingredients together: besan, coriander powder, and salt
- Add the water slowly to make a smooth batter
- Next, add the green chillies, onions and dhania patta. Mix well.
- Heat the oil in a frying pan on medium high heat (if the oil is too hot, pakoras will not be crispy)
- Make small balls of batters and slowly put in the frying pan
- Fry the pakoras in small batches and turn them occasionally. Wait till both sides are golden-brown.
- Pakoras taste the best when they are served hot. With tea of course!

Golgappe Paape!!!!

What is with this edible crisp pocket filled with some meagre flavored concoction that has the whole nation “ooohhhh”ing and “mmmmppphhh”ing every time you even speak about it. I don’t get the fuss behind it. Personally because I am not a very ardent fan of this snack. Its too sloppy for my liking. But it’s a family favorite in the D’souza and Rego household. Being from Mumbai presently, people consider it close to blasphemy if you say “I don’t like pani puri”. And their humble cousins up north and east also hold the same repertoire. I am yet to taste the “phuchka” but I have had the north waale “golgappe” twice. It’s the same people. There was no way I was convinced that it was “stark” different. I do prefer the “maide waale” (flour based) golgappe instead of “suji”(semolina based) ones. They are more dainty I guess. But for some people I know, you say “pani…” and they are salivating! My mom and sister will head out for a walk in vengeance to try and pull down a few grams and the next thing I know is they have paid visit to their “pani puri” temple. And no guilt what so ever ha! I say lets go for a Frankie and I get stares that look like I'm asking them to participate with me in a gluttony fair!

I don’t get the idea behind why it is soooo life saving this humble snack. But I am assured one of the reason is patriotism. You go abroad and say “pani puri” and “vada pao” and “dosa” and you’ll hear quite a few muffled cries and sniffs in the room. It’s available in the smallest of lanes with the single stand “bhaiyas” putting up a show literally while making it to being served in shot glasses with numerous fusion forms in 5 star hotels. In fact when me and my girl friends were assisting in the catering of the Good Food launch in India, “Guacamole Stuffed puris with a South scented Jal jeera” shot was the much praised amuse bouche for the evening. Courtesey Chef Aarti. And yes I swear by that one because it was a divine celebration in my mouth that beauty. Even though it sounds so grotesque on a reading basis.

During college life, our annual college charity event would have a huuge chaat stall. Yes, this would feature on the menu too but with a very interesting twist. Lets just say that it was one of the main selling points of the entire fest. Other college guys would book themselves for the event clearly just for this one aspect. There was a point at which we had once ran out between 2 hours of the festival opening. Yes. The “Vodka/Whiskey Golgappas” were the brainchild of my seniors and was a monster success for that fest. It was an even bigger success when I made it for a party once at home and got my entire family high! I had a lot of my uncles shake a leg to “Munni” and “Chikni Chameli” that night.

But a pani puri experience etched in my mind is the one that we as a family used to have in Kuwait. Still standing proud is the flagship chaat restaurant “Amman” restaurant in Salmiya,Kuwait. I don’t know what it is about that place. Whether it was memories of the “owner uncle” or the sweet n spicy tamarind chutney or for the fact that after 7 in the night you have no place to stand there, but they were the best. The best for me at least. Whether it was friendship day, a time to make new year resolutions (over one puri each ofcouse), mom’s office return surprise, Mother’s day celebration or even a break up, that was our adda! And pani puri was the need of the hour! 

Drooling over the laptop are you? Well that was my purpose! Hehehhe… Now you know what you want while returning from work/college atleast. Kudos to you guys who swear by this dish. I regard it for 2 reasons only: I adore the smiles and laughter associated with this dish. Mainly because its so messy!! (you can never eat pani puri with a serious face!! Im serious!!) and because it’s a favourite of a lot of important people in my life… ;)

Use this recipe to be the next “Show Stopper” in town!!

TALLI PANI PURI!

• 30 puris(you get them in the local supermarkets/at any pani puri stall)
• 2 medium potatoes,boiled and mashed
• 100gms sprouted moong or grams

For chutney:

• 200 gms tamarind
• 1’’ inch ginger
• 1 tsp jeera powder
• 1 tbsp jaggery
• A pinch of garam masala and salt

For Pani:

• 4 cups water
• 1 bunch mint
• 3 green chillies
• Juice of 4 lemons
• 1 tbsp jeera
• 1 tbsp jaggery
• ½ tsp pepper
• 1 tsp Chaat masala
• 150 ml Vodka/Whiskey of your choic

METHOD-

• Prepare puris first by stuffing them with boiled mashed potatoes/sprouted moong dal/boiled grams and keep aside
• Take half a cup tamarind. Wash it and boil it along with some water for two minutes. Reduce the heat and then simmer it further for another five mins. Let it cool. Clean it (remove the fibre and seeds) and then grind it in the blender along with some ginger, cumin powder, a tablespoon of jaggery and some garam masala. Adjust seasoning as per taste (add more jaggery if you want it sweeter, more salt if it’s too sweet, etc).
• Take 4 cups cold water (add more of needed). In a blender, blend 1 cup fresh mint (pudina) leaves, 3-4 green chillies (adjust to taste), 3 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp rock salt (adjust to taste), 1 tbsp Jeera (roasted cumin) powder, 1 tbsp jaggery (adjust to taste), 1/2 tsp black pepper and some chaat masala or aamchur masala. Add 4 cups (or more) water and adjust seasonings. Just before serving, add two tablespoons of salted boondi, some fresh coriander for garnishing and alcohol of your choice! Serve spiked paani individually in shot glasses or bowls so that guests can adjust the quantity of alcohol.
• Add ice to the paani and refrigerate before serving.

The "King" of Good Times!!!

Come this life moving event, and I am running helter skelter formulating  it! While the world prepares themselves for the kind of outfits and themes they wish to have, whether the cake would reflect what they want, I am busy preparing a menu to suit the theme of my birthday! Being blessed with a big family has perks in these things more than any thing else. We have 6 birthdays in the year! And we are pigging all those 6 birthdays too!

My mom is credited to be the mastermind behind this. From donkeys years, she’s ensured that unless and until there is a life threatening event on that fateful day, we will always make a big deal about birthdays. She will toil and turn in the kitchen a day in advance, preparing all the ingredients, matching the upholstery to the birthday (yes she does that EVERY TIME) and cooking mountains of food to feed the entire city of Bombay if they are invited.

She follows one thumb rule-On a birthday, you cook the birthday persons food. Period. You can suggest all the fancy shamancy stuff but NO. Its bearable when its us kids but come my dads birthday and voila!! We have the animals. And the “eat-from-head-to-tail” policy! In fact when we have additional people coming over for dinner and they see the quantity of food prepared, they suffer a minor stroke. Inevitably their first question is “are you’ll expecting others over too??”  And there comes the eye popping when you nod a “NO, its just us”. Its scared the day lights of most of the new comers(in-laws) in our house too!!

But even today, if its birthdays in our house and my mom hasn't cooked (like her normal times), you bring Marco Pierre over but it wont be good enough. My entire family would still eat like they haven’t been fed from birth and then would complain. Also we never had giveaways for our birthdays as such. But no one ever leaves empty handed. My mom packs them portions of the food to take home every time there is a party in our house. And those little parcels bring happiness equivalent to receiving a Dairy Milk on an ordinary day! Bliss!!

My most vivid memories were of our 13^th birthday celebrations in our house. Each of us have had a unique one every time. And that would include my childhood friends too!! Apart from the exaggerated invitations, the endless hunt of the perfect birthday dress, favors designing etc., my mom would make 13 of our favorite foods that day! There would be platters of the most exquisite junk and unhealthy teenage foods! We would invite 13 friends and have 13 types of small games running through the party. It was the best birthday of all times! This strategy first took place with my elder sister and was adopted by all my friends and classmates too eventually. The food was all homemade and we ate like there was no tomorrow! I don’t think there has been any restaurant party that has appealed to me or my family ever after we’ve had one of these for ourselves. If we’ve not being the ones organizing it, we convince the others too. That’s why till date, what we miss the most are the birthday celebrations we had when we were kids. And trust me, ask one of us from the lot that has grown up together and the most vibrant birthday memories we would have wouldn’t be the theme, or gift or even the cake. But the food. That’s what I miss the most and look forward to every 11^th November at least!

Take a break from the bundles you empty every birthday over liquids now a days and go old school people. Or else, I’ve just rendered a kickass birthday plan for you to adopt the next time you are throwing one for a family member or friend. Themed on their favorite foods! And take my word for it. There’ll be no other birthday gift that’ll be able to compensate this gesture. Something they will never forget. Otherwise cake stuffed in the ears also will also serve the same purpose!

LOLITA'S CELEBRATION PUDDING

And I present to you today as a gift in advance a recipe very close to a lot of my Kuwait family friends and relatives. A pudding my mom christened and will always be something we’ve missed once we left there. It is dead simple. No cooking apart from the jellies. Eat it on any ordinary day to get the birthday feeling every time!!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 liter KDD fruit n nut ice cream melted (Amul vanilla with a few chopped dry fruits will suffice)
• 2 Big bars grated Dairy Milk chocolate
• 300 gms each of strawberry and lime green jelly (set and cut in cubes)
• 2 tiny tins milkmaid
• 400 gms lightly whipped cream
• 300gms mixed fruits, chopped (pineapple, apple, grapes, mango)

METHOD

• Take a flat bottomed long bowl and put it in the freezer for 10 mins.
• Lightly fold the whipped cream and milkmaid to form ripples. Do not over mix.
• To assemble, first layer the bottom of the bowl with the cream mixture. Add a good layer of fruits. Scatter jelly cubes in random but ensure you don’t use the whole lot.
• Put half the ice cream mixture and lay it out evenly. Add the remaining jelly and half the quantity of grated chocolate.
• Add the final layer of melted cream and top with extra lots grated chocolate! Set in the fridge for atleast an hour before you dive in this divine masterpiece… and share and have this… it always tastes better that way. cheers!!!

Lights!! Camera!! Samosa!!

Food and Cinema are the Jack and Jill of the Indian subcontinent. You cannot have one fetching the pail without the other. For me movies and food have always had a special connection. I am well assured that come a time to watch movies and the worlds funk(not junk... you cannot call it junk if you eat it!) food crops right instantly in your head! She says tickets and I say popcorn. She asks for balcony seats, I want a side of nachos too.!! They aren't fancy foods are they? Cinema foods have been designed to be fattening and absolutely and exactly what you want at movies. Why you ask? Today I shall unravel the mystery myself. 

It is confirmed that even in my most drunk state of mine(and in yours), I cannot imagine crunching down a bucket of popcorn corn or a pair of not-so-very-tasty-yet-extremely-expensive cinema samosas. But give me one yash raj flick on the big screen or let Disney build another one of its classics and my next question to the person coming with me to the movies is:




"kaunsa combo le? there's a bourbon biscuit free with the one costing 350 bucks!"(yea right!! tell me you haven't done that ever!!)

And that is the selling point behind these goods. You will not pay if you don't crave.  And THEY WILL MAKE YOU CRAVE!!! What with all the creative LEDs, the numerous number of flavors you can create from the one dish that was born with the movies(POPCORN!!) and the beautiful number of times the servers come and tempt you with their offers to literally feed you while you are seated watching the movies. Those guys are like Devil's prodigies!! How are you suppose to survive!!
Needless to say I am eyes goggling and gobbling away to glory and I am down half a tub of caramel divine corn and a samosa and a cauldron full of Pepsi... And I don't care a hoots of whether the movie went great or not, my purpose was solved. I am satiated beyond belief. 

And for the rest of you that are of the same race as me, you won't agree with me now. But Man of Steel is yet to release! And Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani was the recent baby in the market. Your mind will pull you far away behind those glittering fairy like counters.. But then you'll suddenly find yourself curling in the cinema with a tub or mosa in hand and then the company that you've come with can go to hell! You are sorrrtttedd boss!!!