Sunday, 16 August 2015

Hattrick Post!

Not only my 3rd post in 3 simultaneous days but 3rd simultaneous post about same topic-FOOD!

While going all praises about restaurant food, it I realized there is more glory of home food too, especially when it was prepared by someone who didn’t even know names of commonly used vegetables. Yes, Raghav cooked. And what inspired him? His sick wife who did not enter kitchen for couple of days. He decided to take the kitchen by storm after several takeaways.  

I was surprised as cooking never interested him. He would struggle even to fix a sandwich & needs my assistance to prepare simplest noodles.(No, not Maggie) So with doubtful shock, I lied down in my room dreading the outcome. As time passed, I could hear chopping & dropping noise from kitchen. My Prestige Cooker too whistled in disbelief & fridge sighed after his raid. After patiently waiting for 40 mins (yes, that is the level of my patience), I spied into kitchen. And what do I see? Kitchen table consisting of several bowls filled with ingredients laid out just the way they do in cookery show! And midst of all lies the laptop with recipe page open. As if this show off is not enough, he was humming to the background music, while totally lost in his experiment.

After some more waiting & nail biting, my chef of the day laid a beautiful table, served me with steaming long grain rice accompanied by desi ghee-seasoned lentils cooked in tender tomatoes & crunchy papad. In simple words, Anna-Saaru (Rice-Rasam).

I was already awed by his gesture. Adding to it, the food tasted awesome. All in all, I gladly declared him the best chef of the day and happily clean wiped my plate. Are you wondering about situation of the kitchen after his invasion? It was left spic & span, garbage trashed and dish washed till they sparkle. Isnt he a sweetheart?

Here is the proof of leaving his trails in kitchen:



Ashwini

Saturday, 15 August 2015

B'day-Food day

I love food. I love to cook. I love to eat out. I love to eat 'coz the food looks great, 'coz the food tastes awesome, 'coz the food soothes me.. 'coz, well can I just eat?

For a foodie like me, any reason to celebrate is welcome. Corn flakes or oats or raw vegetables tastes like punishment & any sort of vegetarian colorful platter is my delight. The foodie in me was glad to turn her birthday to Food-day . I let the pictures speak the aroma & taste of the day. Keep some snacks handy, 'coz I'm sure you will crave for it by end of this post :P

Customary celebration started the previous night with Fruit salad+cinnamon flavored cake-ice cream. The wording on the cup seems so apt



Next day started with flower soft idly & crispy wada soaked in sinful sweet & spicy saambar, followed by "Namma Bengaluru" Filter Coffee.



Lunch was just bland at canteen in office. This was on intention to keep the appetite prepared for the evening delight.

Dinner was the highlight, at a new place - Via Delhi. Spiciest momos, best Bhatti Paneer I have ever tasted, Chilly Garlic Noodles softened by Manchurian sauce & cooled by cold coffee. I was so happy at the end that my smile lasted till I fell asleep.



The next pic is clicked at the same location & somehow I find it mysteriously attractive. May be his sharp eyes or the colors in the container on his shoulder, I don't know, but it kept my eyes locked for long time.



Eat well, be happy.

Ashwini.

Friday, 14 August 2015

Once upon a thali

My blog is starving since quite a long time. With the food I am offering now, I'm sure he wont have more complaints like before :)


A Gujarati thali served with:

Pooris                              : Hot Hot Hottest..wont believe? Poke your finger and feel the fume

Undhiyu                          : Short of words to describe the delicacy. Waste of life if not tried yet

Sprout Moong Daal      : Awesome-st companion of the poori.

Sweet n Sour Dal          : Another dil choone wala taste.

Carrot Cabbage Sabji   : Simple & flavor full.

Rabdi with fresh fruits : Never imagined this combo but guess what, its the show stealer !

Plain Rice, Fried Salted green chilies, sweet tamarind chutney, fresh lemon wedges&onions, pickle, papad & chaas!

(I deliberately avoided Alu-Tomato Ras, though it is in the picture, its just tastes blah)

I have love hate relationship with this place, Anand. It sometimes surprises me with its heart quenching food & sometimes as bland as food that I cook in bad mood.Needless to say, today was my best day, I loved the food till the last bite.

I noticed something very interesting there. A couple sympathizing & consoling another person, probably their friend, who probably faced a tragedy ( I'm adding so many probably's as this is just my guess). Know what is interesting in this? They did all this while having lunch & savoring each bit of it & asking for more servings & requesting the supplier to increase the volume of background B town music ! The poor friend was standing there all the while, not knowing how to react. In a normal situation, I would have missed to notice them, but what drew my attention was the lady's voice. It sounded like song even when she was speaking. Coming back to my point, I wonder how can one mix two exact opposite situations in one thali..err situation. Just imagine this convo

Hunger Stricken Lady : Im so sorry to hear the news (slurp...the chaas glass been attended)

Tragedy Stricken Friend : What to do, my destiny

Hunger Stricken Lady :(To the supplier) “Bhai, jara music loud karna “ & then to the Tragedy Stricken Friend "I'm glad you have taken it like a challenge”

Tragedy Stricken Friend : I have no other way bhabi.

This time Lady's husband : (to the lady) “awesome food, is it not” and then to the tragedy stricken friend “ Good luck dear, let us know if you need any help”

Not in exact above words but that was how it went on. No idea how their friend must have felt, but I was left in splits. May be they were genuinely sympathetic while being genuinely hungry.. I just don't know how to react to this.

So here I am, happy with awesome food for stomach and funny fodder for the blog.

Ashwini.