Saturday night- Kids in bed. Beautiful moon out in full glory. New chiffon top waiting to be worn. A and I are looking forward to a great eve with friends. We had decided to meet at Modestos, a place that serves great Italian food. The evening was going great, interesting conversations, delicious fresh juices and even better starters. But starters being starters were ignored, nibbled upon and forgotten. When it was time to order it seemed that half of them were on some special detox diet and the other half were just not hungry(I guess the others did eat the starters) ! I was starving. I hadn't seen food since my modest lunch, not even a drink inbetween. I bravely ordered a pasta which everybody had a bit out off and left 2 measly mouthfuls for me.
It was nearly midnight when we got out of Modestos. A ridiculous amount was coughed up for the drinks (!) and nibblies. I wanted to feel happy and satiated but all I felt was irriated and hungry.
My husband tried his best- Did I want to go back home and fix myself a sandwich? Nah! How about a hot chocolate at a coffeplace? NO, I did not want another DRINK! Did I want to check out Newton circus? Aah, now he was talking. Newton Circus (famous outdoor food court in the heart of Singapore) is a two minute walk from home and seemed like the best bet. At 1 am, Newton circus was lit up like Disneyland and was bustling with people maximising their weekend. We found a table under the star lit, moon-filled sky. Our order, egg fried rice was served piping hot with 2 extra helpings of chilly. A and I relished every bite, sipping our ice cold sugarcane juices, revelling in the moment.
Contentment followed as I held hands with A and took the short walk back home.
A delicious meal, served in 10 minutes, well under $10, complete with an amazing ambience at 1 am! Now, that IS something!
Monday, April 19, 2010
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Oh So Easy Palgova!
My kids have acquired quite a craving for palgova! They got their first taste at Murugan Idli which flies in fresh Sriviliputhur palgova everyday! And after that initial intro to this calorie laden bomb of a delicacy my little ones demand some everyday for their dessert! I'm thrilled that they've taken to yet another Desi sweet (they also love mysorepak) but I just couldn't see myself slaving over a pot of milk waiting patiently for it to transform into palgova!
I was lamenting about the situation to Amma one day and she surprised me with an "even Paati and I dont make thiratti pal the traditional way anymore. Microwave palgova is so easy"! What?? I always ate home-made palgova with a side order of guilt.... imagining my poor amma stirring the milk painstakingly for hours while she was actually merely flicking her wrist to switch on and turn off the microwave!
Well, of course amma was right. Why waste time when it can be done faster without compromising on taste. The recipe is so easy that my kids do it themselves with a wee bit of supervision. here goes..
Microwave Palgova
1 tin condensed milk
1 tbsp natural yogurt
1 tbsp ghee
Empty the condensed milk in a large microwaveable dish. Add in the yogurt and whisk together. Place it in the microwave for 2 minutes. Take the container out and give it a stir. Repeat the process another 2 times. Stir in the ghee and keep it in the micro for another 2 minutes. By this time the mixture would have already gained the thirattipal consistency. Depending on how brown you like it, place it in the microwave for another minute and then let it just rest for half an hour. The milky goodness would have done away with all the excess liquids and what remains is just pure joy!
I was lamenting about the situation to Amma one day and she surprised me with an "even Paati and I dont make thiratti pal the traditional way anymore. Microwave palgova is so easy"! What?? I always ate home-made palgova with a side order of guilt.... imagining my poor amma stirring the milk painstakingly for hours while she was actually merely flicking her wrist to switch on and turn off the microwave!
Well, of course amma was right. Why waste time when it can be done faster without compromising on taste. The recipe is so easy that my kids do it themselves with a wee bit of supervision. here goes..
Microwave Palgova
1 tin condensed milk
1 tbsp natural yogurt
1 tbsp ghee
Empty the condensed milk in a large microwaveable dish. Add in the yogurt and whisk together. Place it in the microwave for 2 minutes. Take the container out and give it a stir. Repeat the process another 2 times. Stir in the ghee and keep it in the micro for another 2 minutes. By this time the mixture would have already gained the thirattipal consistency. Depending on how brown you like it, place it in the microwave for another minute and then let it just rest for half an hour. The milky goodness would have done away with all the excess liquids and what remains is just pure joy!
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Why I love Singapore- Reason 1
The other night, after putting the kids to bed and leaving them with our trusted Filipino helper, A and I darted off to Little India. We jumped into a passing cab and got off at the Veeramakaliamman temple where we were greeted to the sounds of the nadaswaram and tavil. What I particularly like about the temples here is the fact that it is a regular place of worship, frequented not just by wealthy NRI's draped in their latest silks but by anybody- the construction worker praying for his family back home, the madisar paati doing her regular pradakshanams and the poly student asking for special favours during exam time.
With our souls satisfied, we proceeded to delight our stomachs. A couple of Murugan idlis washed down with a ton of sambhar can be topped off only with a Masala Milk from the adjacent Saravana Bhavan. Picked up a copy of 'Tabla' (free Indian tabloid) and a packet of just flown in Sriviliputhur palgova for the kids. Sauntered across the street to the veggie market and stocked up on fresh methi and paneer while A made a quick visit to the magazine stand to grab the latest India Today.
Do I miss India? Family- yes but everything else- No. While living in other countries I have at times pined for a chat with somebody in my language and craved for non-plastic tasting dosas. But, in Singapore, I don't miss it at all. And if at all I do, its just a hop, skip and jump to Little India!
Singapore's Little India is not just a showcase of India as it is in other countries. Here, it's as authentic as it can get. It's a big slice of the 'real stuff'. Flavours, smells, colours, people, architecture, atmosphere...it's all there.
Just one of the reasons why I love Singapore!
With our souls satisfied, we proceeded to delight our stomachs. A couple of Murugan idlis washed down with a ton of sambhar can be topped off only with a Masala Milk from the adjacent Saravana Bhavan. Picked up a copy of 'Tabla' (free Indian tabloid) and a packet of just flown in Sriviliputhur palgova for the kids. Sauntered across the street to the veggie market and stocked up on fresh methi and paneer while A made a quick visit to the magazine stand to grab the latest India Today.
Do I miss India? Family- yes but everything else- No. While living in other countries I have at times pined for a chat with somebody in my language and craved for non-plastic tasting dosas. But, in Singapore, I don't miss it at all. And if at all I do, its just a hop, skip and jump to Little India!
Singapore's Little India is not just a showcase of India as it is in other countries. Here, it's as authentic as it can get. It's a big slice of the 'real stuff'. Flavours, smells, colours, people, architecture, atmosphere...it's all there.
Just one of the reasons why I love Singapore!
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Ice Kachang
Ice-kachang, a favourite dessert in SE Asia, is basically a pile of ice shavings topped with multi-coloured syrups and condensed milk over red beans and boiled corn! Simple, understated and oh so delicious!
Traditional ice-making machine, shot in Kota Kinabalu, Borneo.
Monday, February 22, 2010
My Comfort Foods
My comfort foods mostly stem from my favourite childhood memories. I guess, that's what makes them extra special. These foods live deep within me and stir up feelings, moments and moods that I treasure from back then. Every single time I eat these foods, I'm transported back in time, all the way back to that special minute, when I first tasted them.
Good ol Maggi
I was lucky to come home to a smiling mother in a freshly starched cotton saree waiting for me with a snack and an eager ear. Aah...just seeing her face would make me forget my test score I received that day(atleast for a while...until she asked for it!) and the petty fights I'd had with my friends!
No matter how grumpy I was (which would clear only when the first drop of milk greeted my parched throat), I always eagerly looked forward to the 'tiffin'. The excellent cook that my mom is, she always came up with something novel. But I preferred the days when she was too busy to whip up something and had to make do with Maggi noodles.
All she would do was boil up some Maggi noodles which turned out not too dry or too soupy. And just before turning down the heat, she would add a generous grating of Amul cheese. The melted cheese gave Maggi a new dimension! Drinking up the milky liquid and swallowing the slippery noodles, I felt fortified enough to take on any amount of homework!
Jeera/ Milagu Rasam
It was a Saturday and I had just been pampered with an oil massage, hair pack and a herbal wash. It was pouring outside and the smell of the earth mingled with other smells wafting from the kitchen. It was rasam for lunch. Rasam is to a Tambram what Chicken soup is to the rest of the world! It soothes, it comforts, it nourishes!
My paati who was sitting next to me said that there was a certain way to eat rasam to enjoy it to the fullest. First, pile some rice on your plate and make a little well in the middle. Pour the hot rasam in the well and immediately add in a dollop of home made ghee. Scoop up the rasam+ghee with your fingers and slurp it up. The slurping bit is all crucial. After a few such gulps, proceed to mix the rest with the rice.
Nothing hits the spot like this special rasam after a massage on a rainy day.
Dry roast the following and grind to a paste
1 tbsp toor dhal
1 teasp cumin seeds
1 teasp black pepper
1 dried red chilly (or 2 if you want it spicier)
1 teasp fresh coconut
1 garlic pod
4-5 curry leaves
In a pot add water and a small lemon sized ball of tamarind paste. Let it boil for about 5-7 minutes. Add a chopped tomato a pinch of turmeric powder and a pinch of jaggery/palm sugar. Add the roasted/ground paste to the tamarind water and add in another cup or two of water. Let it boil for another 5-7 minutes. Add salt.
For the garnish
Heat 2 teasps of ghee. Add a teasp of mustard seeds, cumin seeds, 4-5 curry leaves and a pinch of asafoetida. Once it splutters,add it to the rasam and close it immediately to retain the aroma and flavours. Finally add 2 sticks of coriander leaves and serve hot with rice and ghee.
Ven Pongal
The world of pongal lovers is divided in two groups! One that loves it very dry and the other that loves it very moist. I belong to the latter. I love home-made pongal. I hate the restaurant versions. Pongal, probably the easiest sounding recipe can taste disturbingly different if not done right.
The Pongal I like best is the one that nearly resembles baby-food. I guess, Pongal or its cousin the khichdi, would rank among the top comfort foods for any Indian who grew up on a diet of dal-rice-ghee combo! My ideal pongal should have
the rice and dal- mashed to pulp
the consistency- congee like
the spices- on the higher side
the ghee- on the generous side
Nothing can beat a steaming plate of aromatic pongal with a huge dollop of ghee first thing in the morning. Its the simplicity of the dish that makes it most appealing. No chewing, biting, slurping complexities involved here. Just mouthful after mouthful of soft, delicious mush. Its basic, nourishing and very fulfilling!
1/2 cup of rice to 1/2 cup of dry roasted moong dhal
Pressure cook the two with 4-5 cups of water and a wee pinch of turmeric powder. After 5-6 whistles, mash the rice-dhal with salt while its still hot till it reaches baby-food consistency.
Dry grind a handful of curry leaves, cumin seeds and whole black peppers.
The garnish
Heat a tabsp of ghee and a tabsp of canola oil (tch tch...how can I possibly suggest 2 tabsps of ghee in today's age and time!). Add the ground spice mixture to the oil/ghee and throw in a good sprinkling of asafoetida powder and roasted cashewnuts.
Pour the garnish over the mashed rice-dhal and give it a good mix. Serve hot with tomato gotsu.
Good ol Maggi
I was lucky to come home to a smiling mother in a freshly starched cotton saree waiting for me with a snack and an eager ear. Aah...just seeing her face would make me forget my test score I received that day(atleast for a while...until she asked for it!) and the petty fights I'd had with my friends!
No matter how grumpy I was (which would clear only when the first drop of milk greeted my parched throat), I always eagerly looked forward to the 'tiffin'. The excellent cook that my mom is, she always came up with something novel. But I preferred the days when she was too busy to whip up something and had to make do with Maggi noodles.
All she would do was boil up some Maggi noodles which turned out not too dry or too soupy. And just before turning down the heat, she would add a generous grating of Amul cheese. The melted cheese gave Maggi a new dimension! Drinking up the milky liquid and swallowing the slippery noodles, I felt fortified enough to take on any amount of homework!
Jeera/ Milagu Rasam
It was a Saturday and I had just been pampered with an oil massage, hair pack and a herbal wash. It was pouring outside and the smell of the earth mingled with other smells wafting from the kitchen. It was rasam for lunch. Rasam is to a Tambram what Chicken soup is to the rest of the world! It soothes, it comforts, it nourishes!
My paati who was sitting next to me said that there was a certain way to eat rasam to enjoy it to the fullest. First, pile some rice on your plate and make a little well in the middle. Pour the hot rasam in the well and immediately add in a dollop of home made ghee. Scoop up the rasam+ghee with your fingers and slurp it up. The slurping bit is all crucial. After a few such gulps, proceed to mix the rest with the rice.
Nothing hits the spot like this special rasam after a massage on a rainy day.
Dry roast the following and grind to a paste
1 tbsp toor dhal
1 teasp cumin seeds
1 teasp black pepper
1 dried red chilly (or 2 if you want it spicier)
1 teasp fresh coconut
1 garlic pod
4-5 curry leaves
In a pot add water and a small lemon sized ball of tamarind paste. Let it boil for about 5-7 minutes. Add a chopped tomato a pinch of turmeric powder and a pinch of jaggery/palm sugar. Add the roasted/ground paste to the tamarind water and add in another cup or two of water. Let it boil for another 5-7 minutes. Add salt.
For the garnish
Heat 2 teasps of ghee. Add a teasp of mustard seeds, cumin seeds, 4-5 curry leaves and a pinch of asafoetida. Once it splutters,add it to the rasam and close it immediately to retain the aroma and flavours. Finally add 2 sticks of coriander leaves and serve hot with rice and ghee.
Ven Pongal
The world of pongal lovers is divided in two groups! One that loves it very dry and the other that loves it very moist. I belong to the latter. I love home-made pongal. I hate the restaurant versions. Pongal, probably the easiest sounding recipe can taste disturbingly different if not done right.
The Pongal I like best is the one that nearly resembles baby-food. I guess, Pongal or its cousin the khichdi, would rank among the top comfort foods for any Indian who grew up on a diet of dal-rice-ghee combo! My ideal pongal should have
the rice and dal- mashed to pulp
the consistency- congee like
the spices- on the higher side
the ghee- on the generous side
Nothing can beat a steaming plate of aromatic pongal with a huge dollop of ghee first thing in the morning. Its the simplicity of the dish that makes it most appealing. No chewing, biting, slurping complexities involved here. Just mouthful after mouthful of soft, delicious mush. Its basic, nourishing and very fulfilling!
1/2 cup of rice to 1/2 cup of dry roasted moong dhal
Pressure cook the two with 4-5 cups of water and a wee pinch of turmeric powder. After 5-6 whistles, mash the rice-dhal with salt while its still hot till it reaches baby-food consistency.
Dry grind a handful of curry leaves, cumin seeds and whole black peppers.
The garnish
Heat a tabsp of ghee and a tabsp of canola oil (tch tch...how can I possibly suggest 2 tabsps of ghee in today's age and time!). Add the ground spice mixture to the oil/ghee and throw in a good sprinkling of asafoetida powder and roasted cashewnuts.
Pour the garnish over the mashed rice-dhal and give it a good mix. Serve hot with tomato gotsu.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Madurai's nightlife
Madurai's nightlife and food scene is quite something!Now, before you imagine any further...let me clarify that it does not have a single pub, club or award winning restaurant to its name. But the city is abuzz with activity and comes alive at night. It definitely is a city that never sleeps. Be cautioned, you could get quite drunk on the unique experiences, myriad flavours and exceptional sights!
To savour Madurai's nightlife to the hilt it would help to follow some of the guidelines below:
To savour Madurai's nightlife to the hilt it would help to follow some of the guidelines below:
- At dusk, head to the 'Portramarai Kulam,' housed in the Meenakshi temple. This is Madurai's answer to its lack of a beach and what a lovely alternative it is! But before that make sure you have your appetizer on hand. Go to the temple 'prasadam' stall and buy yourself a hot vadai and a chewy adirasam (they make the best in the temple). Relish the crispiness of the vadai interspersed with the sweetness of the adirasam. Listen to the idle chatter around you, enjoy the cool breeze circling the pond and be transported to another era!
- Make a pit-stop at the 'PudhuMandapam', Madurai's heritage shopping Mall. I assure you that it will be like no other that you have seen anywhere in the world. These are rows of little shops (selling silk, artifacts, bags) with just a single bulb hanging above for light, wedged in between intricately carved pillars. Shop till you drop! This is one Mall where you will be charged only for the merchandise. No extra charges and no GST!
- Walk into any restaurant near the temple. The more crowded the better. In Madurai, we prefer alfresco dining and so don't be surprised if you find yourself seated on a wooden plank under a starry night. Do make it a point to start your meal with steaming idlis. Madurai idlis can be easily compared against the quality of New York bagels and French pastries. Nowhere in India will you find idlis so soft. Your waiter (in all possibility a teenage boy in torn shorts and a brilliant smile) will place a hygenic, bio degradable plantain leaf in front of you. Then he will throw a few of the fluffies and pour a generous helping of sambhar and chutney. Dip your hands into the sambhar and sink your teeth into the soft, white, spongy beauties.
- All those idlis and fiery sambhar need to be washed down with something. Coffee, of course is always an option but for a taste of the 'real' Madurai you must find a 'Pal kadai'. These shops will be easy to find. Make-shift tin boxes standing on stilts with huge brass vessels boiling and double boiling fresh cow's milk. Peep into one of the brass vessels (be careful not to fall in.....they are huge!) and you will immediately be intoxicated with the heady aroma emerging from it. The milk would have acquired a hue somewhere inbetween a pale rose and off-white. The thick layers of cream on the top will be a darker yellow. Order a frothy cuppa with a sheath of cream and be transported to heaven!
- Ther's bound to be some 'thiruvizha' happening around the area. Mingle in, watch the people, enjoy the entertainment (drama, dance, music). Its all for free!
- If you are peckish (idlis are very light) then stroll down to a 'kuthu parotta kadai'. Again, very easy to spot. The sounds of the metal spoon mincing the egg and parotta will beckon you. If that doesn't, then at the entrance you will see a man in a singlet throwing and bashing up a piece of translucent dough. Quite similar to the Italian pizza.The flaky layers of the parotta will melt in your mouth leaving you craving for more.
- What's a meal without dessert. Somewhere next to the parotta stall there is bound to be a push cart selling 'Jigarthanda'. Madurai's very own recipe for the 'triple malt milkshake'. The taste is indescribable as the flavours are too many and very intricate to put in words. The closest that I have tasted to the jigarthanda is Haagen Daz's Dulce De Leche. The float is a creamy brownish liquid with assorted pieces of nuts, china grass and a whole lot of unknown goodies. This is topped with two scoops of the 'secret recipe' icecream.
The midnight air can get quite heady in Madurai with the numerous parotta and idli stalls burning their flames high. Cool off with every spoonful of jigarthanda and carry special memories of your trip to Madurai!
Madurai Musings
You grew up in Madurai! Where is that? Near Chennai or Bangalore? What's special about the place?Alright, Madurai is not your run-of-the-mill Indian city. You can't find spanking new food courts or upscale malls here. No beaches, no multiplexes and definitely no clubs! And that's exactly what makes it unique!Its just a simple little city-town that refuses to move with the times and takes great pride in sticking to its core values.
I take great pride in all things Madurai. The Meenakshi temple, where I can lose myself for hours, my typical Tamizh accent (that you acquire only by living in the city for that long), the lifestyle (laidback and easy) and of course the people (some of the most genuine I've met in my life).
I recently took my kids to Madurai. They are at an age when multiplexes and malls matter little. The idlis, uzhavar sandhai (traditional farmer's market), blaring loudspeakers and yellow tinted mamis (has she been naughty and used paint on her face, ma"?) bowled them over! To them, Chennai is commonplace. Madurai with its cows and chaos is a lot more attractive!
Just like kids, Madurai is a place devoid of artifice and show. Maybe that's why foreigners are more familiar with the smartly packaged-heavily advertised Bangalores and Bombays. When I go back to India, I want to take the quickest train to Madurai without spending more time than needed in the metros. After long spells abroad, I crave for a piece of the 'real' India, a place that still has its soul intact. And for that, I can't think of a better place to go to than Madurai!
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