Paleo: My Attempt At The Caveman’s Diet

Diets were never my thing. I found the very idea appalling! How could someone follow a certain pattern of eating? What if I felt like eating a specific food on a certain day? I have cravings all the time. One day I feel like chicken and on another, I feel like chocolate. There may be diets that allow chicken but what about chocolate? The general idea of working with an eating schedule was never going to stick with me.

When the doctor said I needed to lose weight, to ease the pressure on my knees, I said WTF. How was I going to lose weight without working out? I could barely walk! Then, my husband said the dreaded word. DIET. I did not buy it. What diet on earth could make me lighter without exercise? There was no way in hell I was going to subject my taste buds to granola bars and oat meals day after day! The very thought of eating less started to make my stomach tingle with hunger. Diets are not my thing. He shoved a book on Paleo diet in my face and insisted I take a look.

The only thing more painful than following a diet is reading 90 pages on why I should. I grudgingly agreed to diet, without bothering to look at the book. I had to do what I had to do. Either I was going to die of starvation or I would lose enough weight to get back on my feet. If I lived, I decided, I would trash the “meal plan” and celebrate with a buffet at Max Brenner.

The first day went by without much of a hassle. It was his idea, so the husband cooked. He was trying really hard to help me stick to this diet. I missed rice but I survived. By the evening of the second day, I felt malnourished. I was starving and I was craving for real food. The husband was out when I came home from work. I threw my handbag on the floor and ran to the kitchen. I dug in the fridge and found 2 thin slices of steak from the previous week. I quickly cooked them and gorged them down as if they would disappear if I waited any longer. Then, I went looking for something sweet. Half a packet of Oreos later, I started feeling guilty. I had not even survived two full days of my diet. How was I going to last 8 weeks?

Surprisingly, that was the last day I gave in to such weakness. Once a day, I would crave to eat something but I would stick to my diet. On the odd occasion, when I felt like cheating on the diet, I would buy my husband the snack and take a bite out of it. The husband was doing his best to make the food look delectable. He decided that larger portions would help cope with my hunger. I came to acknowledge that he was a rather amazing cook. I successfully managed to get through the first week of my first attempt at ‘dieting’ without missing any particular food too much. In fact, by the end of the week I had started to enjoy it so much that I joined in the cooking. Some of the stuff we cooked was fun and everything was so easy to cook.

We never had to throw away anything we made but I wondered how long I could hold off on the cravings. The diet was primarily meat, eggs and lots of greens, with a bit of fruits and nuts. Grains and diary were a big NO. From a magazine I read recently, I found out that Paleo stood for Palaeolithic and the diet itself was based on the caveman’s diet back in the years. Apparently, this is one of the hot diets of recent times. That was encouraging. Suddenly my Paleo diet was ‘cool’.

As we cooked, we tried to understand the effects of the various flavours on the food and appreciated the different smells. We did not just watch but learned from Masterchef every evening. It was all fun but was it working? The increased portions were worrying me. I was not starved any more but was I losing weight? That was the real test. Gingerly, I stepped on the weighing machine on Day 7 of my diet. It took me a bit to realize that I actually weighed lesser. That was the fastest I had lost weight, without any workout. That clinched the deal. No matter what, I was going to stick to this diet! The husband is, obviously, very happy.

I still have a long way to go but it is not so hard anymore. Once this is done, Max Brenner awaits me. Dieting may never have been on my bucket list but I can add it on, now and mark it done. Been there done that. Woot!

Sweet Heavens

I was at Max Brenner the other day, digging into the most heavenly piece of chocolate I have ever had. Chocolate Souffle. Soft yummy crumbs hiding a gooey mass of melted chocolate inside. I was not even embarassed or ashamed at the "Mmm Mmm" noises I was making. 

As I waited for my chocolate souffle, I looked at all the people queued up. For that sinful taste that brings joy like no other, everybody is willing to wait many minutes in the queue and then some more for the order to be bought.

Once I got over my trance at being in a place meant for chocolate lovers, I still hung about the place trying to think of what I might want to order the next time I was there. As I observed what the other tables were laden with, I realized that some of this was easy to make. The Choco-Pizza for instance. It was a pizza base like any other, except that it was lathered generously with melted chocolate and pecans, then covered with cornflakes and topped with a few slices of banana, more melted chocolate. Maybe marshmallows too. Yumm! How different is this from my toasted bread with spoonsful of nutella loaded onto it? 

Who is complaining? As long as there is lots and lots of chocolate, we will go there, pay lots of money and sin. Next time I am there, I would love to try the chocolate dip. A cupful of melted chocolate. That is it. My mouth is already watering. Mmmm. Mmmm.

Max Brenner had one hell of a get-rich-quick idea. Make the most of the weakness that cripples almost all of humanity. Chocolate. Mmm. Mmm.

Not sure if I am the only one who was bothered by the blatant abuse of spellings and grammar at the store but it sure as hell was a thorn in my arm. Some of the names on the menu were cheesy too, so I stuck to the description, which were... Mmmmm... Mmmmm..

Just Amazing!

I met the most amazing auto driver today! 

He had forgotten to turn on the meter. I reminded him when I noticed it, about a kilometer later and he turned it on. He did not say a word about me having to pay for the distance covered without the meter on. I was so surprised. I couldn't help wondering if he'll pull something later, when we stop. I'd decided to pay him the extra 10 bucks anyway. When he stopped where I had to get off, still nothing. He did not even mention the missed kilometer. I paid him 10 bucks more than the meter and told him so. I almost expected him to protest and ask for more. Still nothing. Wow!

Also, I had not much trouble getting an auto when I went out this afternoon. Both ways. Both drivers did not know the way to my destination. Is that why they agreed to go? Probably.

My Lucky is the most amazing dog ever!

She's been angry with my brother for 4 days now. Initially, we thought it was because he had scared her back then. After 4 days, we were convinced it had to be something else. No one knew what it was but she refused to even acknowledge him. He would be talking to her and she would walk right past him. Now, she responds to him every morning and night. Right after he gives her chicken. Finally, bro figures it out! It was because he has been forgetting to share his chicken with her every night! Bravo Lucky! Bro kept asking, in the last few days, why she was annoyed with him after he's been sharing his chicken diet with her. If she could think aloud, we might have heard her say, "Yeah, right!"

I had the most amazing lunch in a long time!

It had been a really long time since I had a meal like that. We used to do that in our college days. We used to go to a darshini near our college. It was less than half a kilometer away but we were too lazy to even walk that distance. We called it UK - a silly pun to mean it was so far away and an acronym for Upahara Kendra (the name of the place). We started going there once somebody tried their awesome roti-curry for 10 bucks! Some boys would even have 2 plates of those and show off. I walked into an Adigas darshini today, intending to order a Rava-Idly. I did not find it on the board behind the counter and almost ordered the Rava Idly. I just turned to look around as I waited for the guy before me to finish, when I noticed the menu board on the wall. I quickly scanned it, hoping to be able to try something 'different' from normal and my eyes fell upon naan-curry. I ordered that. Of course, it did not cost 10 bucks like the days of yore. A good 25 rupees but total value for money. It instantly transported me back to the good old days. I enjoyed every bite of my naan-curry. I nearly ordered another plate, even though I was almost full. The only thing that stopped me was remembering that I am trying to fit into a single seat on my flight to Australia! I must go back there. So many more things on the menu to try out!

I made an amazing discovery today!

No matter how old men get, no matter which part of the world or culture they come from, no matter how wonderful they may be or what genius may reside in their brains, no matter what else, there is one thing that is common to ALL men. They are the world's best excuse-masters! You nag them and you nag them and you nag them. They will give you one excuse after another after another. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. Must be because of all those silly women wanting equality with men and shit. Why couldn't we just be the queens and reign over the world?

PS. I hate exclamations in titles. Yuck!

Guest Post #8: The Tyranny Of Food

When I did my Guest Post week last month, a couple of my 'guests' took a raincheck. In a way, that was perfect because it was a week for amateurs and first-timers. Gautam is a freelance journalist and writer. Having him post on my blog has just increased my blog value multi-fold. Anything I say here will just be a spoiler, so I'll clear out and let you read on...

If it’s true that a dream job must match your biggest passion, then I should have been a chef. All my other passions ebb and flow, but my love for food never sways.

Food, to me, is love. It is happiness and adventure. And when I travel, it’s one of the most vital aspects of a culture. I don’t believe one can have personal food rules and truly understand other peoples.

However, I carried it too far. My relationship with food was what I’d now describe as “reckless”. I had to have meat for every meal (I rarely had breakfast). I ate out all the time, put away huge portions, and never exercised. I almost never consumed fruit and vegetables.

When you hear that I now ride my bicycle nearly every day, covering several hundred kilometres a month, you’d guess that my eating is very different. It is, but isn’t. I agree wholeheartedly with  the quote “Everything in moderation, including moderation.” The problem in the food-loving circles I inhabit, is that even moderation is perceived as extremism.

Simply wanting a light dinner after a heavy lunch makes me the “fitness freak” who’s denying himself all that’s good in this world. And because eating is a communal event, I become a spoilsport. I’m the guy at the party who won’t drink, making everybody feel self-conscious and judged.

This irritates me because if you’re secure in your eating and drinking, you shouldn’t worry about someone else’s choices. Yet, my new-found moderation constantly gets me barbs or pitying looks or defensiveness. “No I’m not on a diet”, I have to keep explaining. “I eat everything, just that I space out the high-calorie goodies.”

Food writer Michael Pollan, whose book ‘In Defence of Food’ I consider essential reading for anyone who eats, puts it better in another of his books, ‘Food Rules’: “Treat treats as treats. There’s nothing wrong with special occasion foods, as long as every day is not a special occasion.”

And there’s nothing like regular exercise to put all this in perspective. My friends hear of salad dinners and think they’ve lost me. How do I explain, without making them retreat wounded, that when you’re on a 100km bike ride, you don’t dream of braised pork belly and cheeseburgers, but of carrot sticks and apples?

And how do I tell them, without seeming smug and preachy, that exercise doesn’t just bring about weight loss and lowered cholesterol, but that it improves every minute of every day of your life?

Their current attitude to food, identical to mine five years ago, reminds me of the cabbage joke I read in one of those Gyles Brandeth books I used to love. “I hate cabbage,” it went. “Thank God I hate cabbage, because if I liked it, I’d have to eat the stuff.”

Seeing through this self-enforced ridiculousness is like being born again. Being free from the tyranny of food doesn’t mean I love it less. In fact, this new respectful relationship means I love it more. The big difference is that for the first time in my life, I respect my body enough to really care about what I put in it.

Thanks Gautam!

To read more of Gautam's writing, click here. 

Still A Twenty Something: Good Morning

Quiet, peaceful, a mug of coffee in one hand and the newspaper in the other. That is my kind of a morning. Noise causes short-circuits in my wiring.

Loud voices of Mother and Brother in my room woke me up this morning. On any other day, this would make me edgy. Today, I welcomed the noise in a heavily groggy state. Struggling to open my eyes, I sensed a couple of handshakes before somebody thrust something into my hands. By the time my senses were awakened and I realized what was happening, all I could see was a pair of gluteus maxima heading out the door. I went back to sleep, clutching the envelope.

Minutes later, I woke up and opened it.

"It wasn't originally meant for you but you can get your headphones with it. Tell me if it doesn't cover the cost", Brother had said.

The words registered only then. It was a Landmark gift voucher for a couple of thousand rupees. I was beside myself with joy. I could finally get those Bluetooth headphones! If not, I still love bookstore vouchers. Lov-e-ly!

When I subsequently woke up, Husband and Dog came to hug me, with a mug of warm tea. Mother and Sister-In-Law came looking for me. Sister-In-Law handed me a beautiful red box, with a lovely greenish candle tied with an olive green ribbon. Candles and ribbons are a weakness, I could not wait to open the box. All the womenfolk moved towards the living room, where I carefully tore off the delicate wrapper, ripping the sello-tape with the concentration of a chemist in a lab. The box had the most beautiful lantern I have ever owned. Rustic-looking, made of glass with a super-thin latch, it stole my heart from the word go! I need to find a place to hang it in my living room or bedroom.

I responded to a couple of texts. I like messages on mornings like these. Phone calls eat into my time and space. I am grateful for that. I wondered about the other Sister-In-Law, who was yet to call.

Husband wants to do a lot of things, he just does not know what they are. I wanted a long ride, so did he. The late morning forced me to skip mine, in order to make way for more pressing matters. He went ahead. I have got some 'me' time, I really need it. I can’t say why, just know that I am grateful for the hour by myself. I did some reading and writing. I also mucked about the social networking sites for a bit. Habits are hard to break. Like Mark Twain says, they need to be coaxed down the stairs, one step at a time. There is also a lot of correspondence to catch up on but that's for later.

The morning has turned out well so far. Eventful, in a quiet manner. Just the way I like it. Husband has promised to take me to The French Bistro for breakfast. I can’t wait, I hope the place won't disappoint me. I need to hit the temple on the way to breakfast. Ayyappa Swamy temple, one of my favourites! 

Lucky hasn't said anything to me as yet. She does not know. She will, once we bring the cake out. She loves cake. It speaks a language to her that none of us can. Chocolate cake sends her drooling like an overflowing reservoir. Husband has bought me the Royal Velvet, from Bliss. I don't remember the ingredients but when I'd read it on the menu at Bliss, the last time we were there, I had liked the sound of it. It's a tiny cake, expensive but I think it will be yummy. Small helps me stick to my diet too. Brilliant!

The cake ceremony has been moved to the evening, when Brother and Sister-In-Law are all home. I would like to bring home the in-laws but I do not see any hope for that. I might try asking, anyway, what have I to lose in inviting them? There is a 10% chance they might come and that gives me enough reason to make the call.

Expecting a phone call around noon. As per current plan, I should be free to take the call. A few more delightful moments in the charming day this promises to be. 

Mother has bought me a long kurta last evening. She always wants me to wear simple, traditional girl stuff. Now that I've turned into a rotund structure of excessive lipids, I oblige her. She is happy. So I am. We also bought a couple of embroidered dress materials and left it at the tailor's with measurements. I should get it before my nakshatra (star) day. She is pleased. So I am.

'Me' time is over now. I have to shower and be ready before my man gets home. He only needs 10 minutes to get ready. It will make my mom happy if we work to that plan. She wanted the same too. I seem to want all the same things that everyone else wants. Barring Lucky, maybe. She wants to play. Actually, I want to play with her too. Maybe I will drive her to a playground, with the husband later today. After breakfast, I have promised to help mum with the cooking. I will cut fruits for the fruit salad and custard that she has planned. She will make me vegetable pulao. I love fish and meat but today I am happy with vegetable pulao.

By the time, the plan is acted upon, the morning will slip into afternoon. Lunch is the only plan right now. Late afternoon might involve us visiting parents of a friend of Husband. He has a gift to pick up, long overdue. I intend to do a ride later in the day. That is about the plans, as I know right now. Will see how the day goes.

9.13AM

Chowka

I pass by this restaurant on my way back from work and everyday I tell myself I must try it sometime. Someone said it served Rajasthani cuisine and I was eager to try it out. The last time I went there, I wasn't hungry. Since they only served a thali on a non-sharing basis, I had to return without eating anything.

The husband and I decided to try the place, for dinner, last night. We ordered the only available 'Unlimited Thali' for Rs. 120. Half a dozen waiters, dressed in Rajasthani traditional wear, walk around with pots & spoons, serving the tables.

We were first served thanda, which tasted like a mild version of badam-milk. It was not exactly thanda (i.e. cold) but had a cooling feel.

The entrees started off with very tasty dal bhatiya and dahi vada. One after another, the curry bowls started filling up with items, some of which I could catch the names of and some not.

 

Whereas the items served started off with a yummy taste, as we cleared one bowl after another, the quality of food seemed to degrade in taste. Maybe it did not match our food preferences.

The first picture shows Gobi Mutter (cauliflower and peas) and some vegetable we just couldn't figure. After the waiter repeated it's name thrice, in his strong Rajasthani accent, we decided to save him & us from embarrassment by pretending to understand what he was saying. The second shows a dish that was bitter and had something that looked like black peas but was something else. The other dish in the second picture is Baigan Bartha (a brinjal dish). In the third picture, we have Kadi, a spicy dish made of buttermilk.

  

The sweets and breads were too oily. The Malpoa tasted like a less sweet version of jalebi, the way I like it. The Rabri (pronounced raab-di) was a surprise. I mean, it was good, no doubt. I'd always thought rabri was a solid round sweet ball dunked in a liquid... turns out it is only liquid. Wheeee!

 

By the time, we finished, the husband and I felt the urge to expel the food from different exits. Since I woke up this morning, my stomach's been tumbling and the fart-machine's been running full steam.

The waiters were pleasant and friendly. They were probably extremely uncomfortable in their costume but went about their business without complaint, encouraging the customer to eat well. There is nothing nice about the ambience. If you take the corridor near the glass window, there is a view of the Thippasandra Main Road. If not, I would feel claustrophobic.

The dinner was not a terrible experience but not very satisfying. I wouldn't go back there.

Bliss

Today was my long ride day. I was going to push myself to do 25 to 30 kilometres, including a few uphills. The husband had heard that movies cost 100 bucks at the Forum Value Mall, so we decided to ride down there and catch the 10AM show. Brilliant! At 8.45AM, after a light breakfast, we took off. The weather was good and traffic scarce. It was a perfect setting for 2 bikers on their single speed. 

Fifteen kilometres and 40 minutes later, we are stopped by the security guard at the gate of FVM. The mall would open only at 9.30AM, so we waited outside. I stripped off my cycling gear i.e. helmet, scarf, gloves and walked about, trying to stretch myself. When the mall opened, we parked and bought tickets to the 11AM show (we were going to watch 'Karthik Calling Karthik' but bought tickets for 'Road, Movie' instead, on an impulse). The shops were all closed, so we just walked around, window shopping. The mall was almost empty, just perfect. 

When we reached the ground floor of the mall, we passed by a very tempting chocolate shop, called Bliss. They had the most amazing variety of chocolates. In the display, I saw an amazing replica of the Taj Mahal - one in brown chocolate and one in white. It reminded me of a friend who loved the TM and chocolates, so I took a picture to send to him.

We stood there, admiring the spread for 5 minutes and finally decided to peek in. Luckily, it was open. Even better, they served coffee (I was desperate for my morning fix). The furniture looked inviting. We decided that we would park ourselves there and enjoy a nice morning cuppa. We were handed a menu which had the most delectable list of chocolate items. I wanted one of everything. Sitting there, I hated having to chose one or two items, it was nearly impossible! Finally we decided to try something from the 'Chocolate Meals' list and a savoury item to compliment it.

We decided on our coffees first. I ordered the Latte (Espresso with steamed milk), that looked like the famous 'cutting-chai' in glass tumblers in Mumbai. Surprised but delighted. 

The husband ordered Cafe Mocha (Cappuccino blended with premium Belgium chocolate). Clearly, the guy making the coffee was not creative enough.

By the time the coffee arrived, we had decided. From the chocolate meal menu, we ordered the Buttery Belgium Waffles (Waffles with chocolate sauce and honey). When the dish actually arrived, it did not look as exciting as the title or the description. The little black chequered triangles reminded me of mum's ragi dosa. I was happier to be clicking pictures, instead of digging in right away. Dip it in honey and chocolate sauce and yummy!

Our pick from the savoury menu was the Toasted Cheese Tortillas (Spanish Quesadilla filled with Jalapeno, Olives, Cheese and Spring Onion, served with Mexican salsa and sour cream). The waiter said it would take time to make (we were the first customers, he was yet to light up in the kitchen, remember) and suggested the American Cheesy Sticks (Breaded Mozzarella sticks, accompanied by a tangy, spicy Mexican salsa) instead. The sticks were crispy to perfection and the cheese inside just the right texture. Dip it in the Mexican salsa and you are immediately transported to another world (where fat is 'in'). 

A dream ride and an amazing breakfast later, we took off to watch 'Road, Movie'. It is a funny way to name a movie, with the word 'movie' in it. The girl selling me tickets at the counter just called it Road. Maybe she found it awkward to say 'the movie Road Movie' (the comma goes missing when we actually say it). A weird movie, very different, no story, just starts off and ends some place but totally worth a watch. Goofy and entertaining. At 100 bucks, much recommended. We also got an offer to buy a large popcorn and medium Pepsi for 100 bucks ("It costs 130 rupees inside", the girl said). 

Ride, breakfast, movie, shopping, ride back home. Shopping was awesome, the husband was a complete sweetheart all through. The ride back home was hot and tiring, a headwind all the way. I barely noticed the downhills but the uphills were enervating. I managed it. The husband and I are both proud of me. I am thrilled to bits, it is my best day of the year, so far.

5 Fascinating Minutes

I had a scary ride back home from work, nearly hit a few times (as is normal if you're riding or driving in Namma Bengaluru) and bullied off to a wrong turn on the flyover, bothered by sadistic guys with nothing worthwhile to do with their lives... In short, I spent most part of my ride mentally cursing the traffic around me, people on the streets and anything but enjoying the ride. By the time I reached the gate to our building, I was still fuming and decided to vent on my blog tonight. 

I stopped at the gate, saw the neighbour's kid playing cricket in front of my garage again and felt like kicking his dad for teaching the son such unhealthy habits. He constantly hits my car and one of these days, he'll go home with a broken bat. So, that was my state of mind at 7PM tonight.

And then the sweetest thing happened to me. In the next 5 minutes, the weariness of my entire day and the ride had just slipped off me! I met the cutest kids ever. 

The first one came running to me (call him A, for I'm such a douf that I did not ask their names). Pointing to his head he says, "Aunty, what is this?". "My helmet. Do you want to wear it?", I asked. He is quick to refuse "No!". 

I just start to ask him why when the next kid comes running to me (say, B). "Aunty, what is this?", he's pointing to the back of his palm. I smiled at him and said, "Those are gloves" but did not ask him if he wanted to wear it. Maybe he did not. I did not wish to remove them either.

Kid C comes running and says, "Aunty, I want chocolate!". The smile on my face is plastered. Such adorable kids. "Hmm, you want chocolate, let me check if I have any", I said as I mentally prayed fervently that it was one of those days that I did have a chocolate in my backpack. I remember throwing a bar of Cadbury's Fruit and Nut in my bag a couple of days ago but I was not sure if this was the bag. 

I release my backpack from my shoulders and slide them down, almost to the ground. I'm trying to desperately find the bar of chocolate from underneath the bags in my backpack, containing my work clothes, shoes and papers. Kid B yells, "Aunty, you have a dark blue bag, so nice!". I asked him if his favourite colour was dark blue and he shakes his head, "No, I like light blue". I can't help laughing. 

It was an awfully cute moment. The kids were so enraptured by everything I carried. I fish out the chocolate bar and Kid B screams again, "Aunty, you have chocolate!". His eyes widen and he has excitement written all over his face. It was the most beautiful moment of my day. My week, maybe. Or even this year! Kid C, who had momentarily moved to watch the elder kid play cricket, came running. All the three of them huddled close, eagerly watching as I unwrapped the bar and started breaking chunks off the chocolate.

I gave them each one piece and ate one myself. Not one of them said, "Thank you". When I was a kid, manners were hammered into our heads. I remember my dad dragging me down the stairs to say "Sorry" to the neighbour in the flat below us when I was apparently rude with her. Back then I'd thought I was funny and I had a big ego that would not let me apologize but the fear of dad's hands making contact with my teeny ass compelled me to apologize. 

Coming back to this evening, nobody thanked me. I almost said it aloud and made them thank me. In an impulsive moment, I stopped myself. I did not want to hear them say it. I could see it in their excitement. They did not throw tantrums or ask for more. When I broke off the fourth piece saying, "I also want to eat chocolate", they just watched without a word. I faintly wondered if they thought it was such a waste of good chocolate for an "aunty" to be eating but hey, they were sweet, did not say a word. 

It was such a pleasure to see that one small chunk of chocolate could make each child so happy. They hopped off, after they ate, for I had stuffed the rest of the bar back in my bag. I wondered if I should give them more but I was not sure if their parents would appreciate it. I'm lying. It's just that Fruit & Nut is my favourite, I do not ever want to share it. The kids made me feel like a million bucks, I could not have not shared with them. 

I parked my bike, locked it and came home to a warm welcome to another cutie-pie. My baby Lucky. Wagging her tail and rubbing herself against me. Twenty seconds later, she was sniffing at my bag. Mmm, chocolate! So easy to give it to her and watch the happiness wash over her face but I could not, it is poison to her, no matter how much she might love it. Surprisingly, she was as well behaved as the kids downstairs. She did not persist or beg further. 

I met the most delightful kids today! Oh, how I adore them... even when they say the darnest things!

My Republic Day

My brother and I would wake up sleepy-eyed at 6AM on a holiday, sleep-walk to the bathroom and dress up in white or green or saffron (so yeah, white) to attend the flag-hoisting at the playground in our colony. It's been a regular event ever since I can remember... school days, work-days (I lived elsewhere during my college days) until we moved out of the colony last year.

While most people don't seem to exactly 'celebrate' Republic Day, it's good to see that there are a few colonies that still do it. A colleague of mine mentioned celebrations that included little kids getting cute little Indian flags, a parade by the 25 watchmen in their huge apartment complex, etc. The one I'm talking about is nothing compared to that. We hoist the flag at 7.15AM sharp (the president of the resident's welfare associate does), one of the ladies distributes sweets. There's breakfast, sports/games for kids and parents, lunch, cultural programs in the evening and finally dinner. It's fun to live in colonies with lots of houses but not so many that it becomes a little city of it's own. I miss that. But then, I miss the grounds and the clean locality too. I digress again!

Back to Republic Day celebrations. I drove mum & dad to the colony (as ex-president, dad was a 'special guest'). What was different this year? The ladies decided that they wanted to take the centre stage, so when the flag hoisting was about to start, there was a group of ladies totally amused to watch the confused men wondering where to stand, for their place was taken. One of the women proudly announced that we'd pushed the men aside and taken the lead. The litle joys of life. Guess this was her moment. The president arrived, in a suit (whoa!) at 7.30AM (big crime, we always do 7.15AM on the dot)... the women-folk were getting restless and unhappy at the lack of punctuality. As most people that come under the category of 'big people' in government offices go, the president merely unfurled the flag but didn't exactly put in an effort to get it in a position that it would wave in the wind. One of the other men had to do it after him. Duh!

Usually, we would start off with the National Anthem. Our lady, Mrs. Akhila, started singing Vande Mataram, so the rest of us had to follow suit. She wanted to end the National Song with 'Vande Mataram' chanted thrice. Okay lady, you got it. That was followed by the National Anthem. Thank God for these Republic & Independence day celebrationss, I can still get both these right, unlike a lot of Indians I know *wink* *wink*

The president yelled "Bharat Mata Ki" and the chorus ended it with a "Jai". Then "Vande Mataram" chanted a couple of times and now the audience wanted him to 'say a few words'. If I were in his place, I'd go blank. Imagine being unprepared, an audience wanting you to speak on the occasion of Republic Day, at 7.30 in the morning! I was desperately trying to remember which anniversary it was. 61st. The man just took off and spoke for over 5 minutes. Republic Day, love for the country, greateness of people... oh dear, how do they do that? That's one thing about these KEB guys, I've noticed... they can talk. Anyplace, anytime, anything about. No English, all Kannada. Brilliant. I mean, the speech was okay but the impromptu was good, the language was good.

Breakfast from Shrinidhi Sagar, as always. Idly-Vada with sambar and coconut chutney, Kesaribath and tea. No coffee. Sigh! I am a coffee person. Enjoyed breakfast. Wished I could have another vada but I was really full. While mum & dad caught up with old friends from the colony, I decided to sit in the car and read for a while. I ended up watching a few kids play. It looked like fun. A new game. Never played that before. One boy from the group throws a ball up in the air and the guy who is "out" runs to where it drops off. The other guys run as far away from the ball as they can but have to turn into statues the moment the 'out' guy finds the ball and yells "STOP!". Then he picks one guy from the group (I'm guessing the guy closest to him), who remains a statue and the rest of the group crowds around the guy who was picked. The 'out' guy throws the ball in the direction of the group and whoever the ball hits is now "OUT". The ex-out guy throws the ball up in the air, the new 'out' guy runs after it and the rest run away from it... and it continues in a never-ending game.

Nothing like the lagori of our days but well, kids these days are lot delicate, I guess. As long as they didn't break the glass of my car, I was happy. After a few minutes of watching some of the kids crowding around my car and the 'out' guy trying to fling the ball at them, I decided that the stress wasn't worth it and dragged my parents back home. I just had to get my car out of there. I had work to get done, at home.

It's afternoon now, I'd better go wish dad while it's still his birthday. It always seems to get buried in the bigger celebrations of the bigger events of Republic Day. Poor dad. The husband's got a chocolate cake, which might have been cut and eaten at midnight if dad hadn't slept by then, if bro did not have to run a marathon this morning and the husband himself didn't have a long ride planned. Cake still waits. Yummm, the thought of chocolate cake in the refrigerator is making me hungry...

My First Baking Experience

As a kid I was always excited when mum baked a cake at home. I loved it more than any cake I could get from a bakery. So, we never bought a cake for any of our birthdays, it was always home-made.

As we grew up, time became a luxury and it was easier to spend a few bucks and buy a fancy pastry from the various available shapes, colours and sizes. It was good, no doubt, but I occasionally craved for mum's cake. For the last couple of years, I've been considering baking a cake at home. At one point, the husband even bought the ingredients necessary to bake one but never got around to doing it.

It was his 30th birthday yesterday and I was determined to bake a cake for him. He loves it when I cook and I couldn't think of a better thing for the day. I spoke to the girl-friends at work, researched on the internet and decided that it should be do-able. An hour's worth of work and that's it.

I got all the ingredients ready, put them into bowls and got started. It sounded like all of 5 steps in the recipes... mix, sieve, beat, mix, bake. Reality was nothing like it. Powder the castor sugar (that's what white sugar is called ;P), melt the butter, sieve the all-purpose flour mixture, beat the eggs-butter-sugar mixture... an awful lot of hard work it was. Beating the eggs was the toughest bit, had to get the fluffy, creamy feel. Phew!

I had to make a few 'adjustments' with the ingredients. I mixed baking powder & cooking soda, in place of baking soda. I melted salted & unsalted butter when I ran short of one. Fooled around with the quantities a bit. It was an hour and half before I could even set the microwave to pre-heat! By the time the cake was baking, I was beginning to worry if my improvisations would affect the cake.

40 minutes after I'd put the batter in the microwave, just as the timer beeped, I heard the key turn in the lock. Phew! My cake was ready just in time for the husband. I chased him off to walk Lucky while I got the cake out of the oven for cooling. When they returned, a plain-looking brown chocolate cake was awaiting them. Boy, were they surprised! Boy, were they pleased! Boy, was I thrilled!

We waited for mum to get home before we cut the cake. In the meanwhile, I poured some chocolate sauce over the cake and it just got better. Well, I'm no good with creative designs, so I just poured it all around the cake in a haphazard manner... was good enough for our little party. Yummy!!

Italiano Cuisine-o Anyone?

My husband and I planned to check out the new Forum Mall in Whitefield this evening and then head straight to TGIF for some nice beer & Mexican food. In Forum, I changed my mind & decided to visit Baskin Robbins, the Chocolate Lounge, practically every eatery we saw. We finally zeroed in on Toscano, the Italian restaurant.

Mistake #1: Never do Italian when you initially planned Mexican. The former is bland whereas the latter is spicy. It's a mental setup change, like a culture shock!

The ambiance seemed good, dim lights, candle light dinner, quiet music & un-hassled waiters. We ordered a wine mocktail for me (Cranberry Sangria) while Ullas had water, as he was going to be driving. It was good. It looked like it was going to be a good dinner, after all and we were both thoroughly enjoying it. We had a nice conversation going on when the starter arrived.

Mistake #2: Understand what you are ordering. When you ask for 'smoked salmon', it's going to be just that. "Smoked" Salmon, not cooked!

Yeoww yeoww yeoww, it was awful. I loved the apples, even the lettuce in the dish but the salmon itself was awful. It was raw & just smoked... ugh! It left an after taste that felt like a dead animal inside in my mouth. I love fish but I just hated this, it nearly made me want to throw up! My husband, on the other hand, who hates anything that smells in his plate, ended up finishing my share of it too. And then admitted that he didn't like it either. Now, that's one thing we will never order if we ever went back to Toscano!

Soon after, the Wood Burn Pizza a.k.a Toscano Pizza arrived. Well, wood burn it was. It tasted like wood that was burned! The crust was really hard. Both of us could not cut it with our knives & we eventually ended eating with our hands. It didn't taste too bad but it didn't taste like chicken either. We got a doggy bag home for Lucky... well, she liked the crust, so I'll still say the wood Pizza was not too bad.

The husband had ordered chicken Risotto. I jumped in to taste it and aww aww aww... it tasted like steamed rice and bland chutney. Poor baby, he finished the whole thing. I would've vomitted right into the plate if I had any more of it. Awful, awful, awful Risotto. If you ever want Risotto, visit 100 Ft Boutique on 100 Feet Road, Indiranagar. Never try Risotto at Toscano.

We were done & we paid. Yeah, they charge the illegal 10% for 'service charge' too, so we didn't have to tip them. The experience with the food was so bad that the moment we walked out of the restaurant, it felt great! We felt like we had suddenly stepped out into a brighter world. Of course, there was more light outside and it was brighter but that was not what this was about. We felt lighter, less stressed. That's it guys, I'm never stepping into another Toscano again. Bad italian-oh experience-oh!

Next time I want Italian, I'm heading to Little Italy. However, something tells me I'm not going to be eating Italian for a long time to come, after today!

Mom's Yummy Chicken Curry

The below measures are for cooking 1 kg of chicken for curry

-------
Part 1:
-------
1) Wash chicken & cut into pieces

2) Marinate with:
+ red chilli powder (approx 4 tea-spoons; reduce/increase depending on how spicy you like it)
+ salt (to taste)
+ garam masala powder / chicken masala powder (about 2 tea-spoons)
+ coriander powder (2 tea-spoon, if garam masala used; 1 spoon, if chicken masala)
+ pepper powder (1/2 tea-spoon
+ turmeric (a pinch)

3) Keep aside for 20 mins


-------
Part 2:
-------
4. Heat approx 2 tablespoons of oil in a kadai

5. Add curry leaves, chopped onions and fry till onions begin to turn brown

6. Add ginger-garlic paste, tomato puree / very small pieces and fry for a few minutes (2 - 3 minutes)

7. Add the chicken from Part 1, stir for a minute

-------
Part 3:
-------

8. Cook the chicken in a pressure cooker, over gas, for upto 3 whistles

OR

8. Cook the chicken in a microwave for about 20 minutes at 180 degrees (the way one would normally cook any other chicken dish, really... whatever suits you best)

Serve hot!

Best combo with:
1. Rice (Add a little water in Part 3 and make a gravy to mix with the rice)
2. Dosas (South Indian - rice pancake; my fave)
3. Chappatis (Indian bread)