Getting Karanjified – Then and still !!!!

Come Diwali and I have a lot of lovely memories of delicious sweets and savories being made not only in my home but also my neighbor’s homes.  I remember my mom used to tell me I used to hop around all homes (having been brought up in a typical Bombay chawl – where the doors used to close only during the night time).  There was free flow of people walking into each other’s homes and checking out what was cooking or made.  Difficult to imagine if I could now relive that moment again.  Not quite sure on that!.

One such sweet that I really used to look forward to eating was at one of my Maharashtrian friend’s home and that was Karanji.  I loved the shape and the ease at which Mangodkar maavshi used to make these.  I sat at her place (never ever bothering if my friend Poornima was around)- I danced to the kitchen and saw how maavshi made the filling for the karanji.  Also remembering, that my mom made laddoos both of rava and pulses, then mysorepak and coconut barfi.  But never ventured to try this lovely delicacy.

Maavshi told me that this is a pure Maharashtrian sweet and that’s the reason amma did not make it.  Anyways, I wasn’t much bothered as I knew she would definitely send a good amount home.  I remember me telling her that I love karanjis.  Sweet as she was, she said “Ho ga, mee tujha ghari pathavnaar.  Tension gheu nako”).  Yes, one major hurdle was covered.  Surely, these sweet dumplings are going to land in my home.

I gazed at the ease at which she mixed the filling for the karanjis.  It was rava, coconut, jiggery, kismis and few dryfruits along with cardamom powder. They looked just so beautiful on the big plate that she had laid down and side by side made the covering of the Karanjis with maida.  The covering just romanced the filling so beautifully and it’s a visual delight to see the outer design (interwoven with such dexterity).  But that’s not all, these lovely dumplings now had to be fried using some precision so that they do not splutter out, lest the filling would spill out spoiling the entire dish.

Even now, I can visualize the tensed brows of maushi till she fried these. It seemed to me like a T20 match between INDIA and PAKISTAN, with just one over left and 6 runs needed.  In fact, much more tension filled than those.  The karanjis were waiting to get karanjified, there they went into the oil and guess what, it didn’t splutter.  The child that I was, I screamed in happiness as if those were fried by me.  The scene was anywhere like INDIA winning against PAKISTAN, the joy and happiness incomparable.  Maavshi, let out a sigh of relief, yes, the filling was intact and the karnjis were golden brown just so perfect. AND I WAS HAPPY!!!!  She immediately offered it to Padurang (an idol on their Devsthal) and then called out to me “AATA KHAAON BAGH” (not you can eat these).

With a patient waiting of more than two hours or more, atlast she offered me the lovely karanjis, and sabar ka phal meetha hota hai, sorry Karanji hota hai.  So yes, I was karanjified and I loved it.

I still love these and everytime someone offers me a karanji, it takes me back to those lovely days and lucky as I have always been, I always get to have a bite of these.

Love

Rekha

The humble thaiyir saadam (curd rice) – Not humble anymore !!!!

When I was little, I remember my mom soaking the left over rice in water in an uruli (copper or bronze utensils) . She used to allow the rice to ferment overnight. Me and my little sister Radhika never looked forward to having this as breakfast the next day as we always used to feel this is baasi food (old) . Nothing could one compare hot piping dosas and vadas to curd rice . Idli always won the third price. We could even do with Upma (which never used to make it to the Top 3 ever).  But amma insisted that we eat curd rice with pickled mangoes.

She used to sell this idea to us that we would grow smarter and stronger if we had Pazhaya saadam which means old rice.  Amma used to say you could live a healthy rich life if you take this poor man’s food.  Hidden Targets you see,  the rice couldn’t be thrown away.  So, we were the glorious recepients of pazhya sadam. I being the argumentative type and questioning type, used to ask her to as to why this was never served to appa(my dad) and she had quite an assertive look on her face saying that its only for the kids. No questions were asked further!!! The look on her face was enough to make me dumb atleast for sometime.

Amma used to nicely mash the rice, add some buttermilk some coarse salt and garnish it with a little mustard seeds, some neatly sliced green chilies and there we go. I remember vividly that me and my sister used to have a competition as to who would finish off the curd rice faster. There is a saying that the finger tips of moms have nectar flowing and God has designed it in that manner.  Me and my sister agree on this since it used to taste so good.  My daughter vouches for it, so I can also double vouch on this one!!!

With Google mama helping us in every sphere nowadays, he says curd rice contains B12 and rich probiotics.  Really!!!!! Fermented Rice, they say.  It has a whole lot of complex B vitamins and lot of fiber which could help you lose weight and at the same time keep you hale and hearty.   With high levels of energy getting introduced in your system, one can also rest assured about the blood parameter levels.

I still try and make it for me some days and carry it in steel dabba.  Curd rice tastes good only when its packed in steel dabbas and not plastic ones (have tried them) so can talk about them.

Having brought up in a traditional South indian family with just home cooked meals (like in case of most of us) eating out was very rare.  Also with deep traditional roots especially when it came to matters related to food, if a dish has to be cooked in coconut oil or til oil, nothing else could be used for sure. We as a family use a lot of simple health spices (as they call it).  Hing is something we cannot do without and so are curry leaves.  Not to forget the dark coloured gur or jaggery.  Garnishing has to be with curry leaves and coriander or else usmein mazaa nahin hai.  

The other day I happened to go to a typical Udipi hotel and asked for thayir saadam (curd rice) and shelled out around seventy rupees (Rs 70/-). Not humble any more!!!!

So that’s all for now

CYA with something interesting and spicy – stay tuned!!!!

Love

Rekha

DEAR CHAI !!!! –ME, YOU and BREAD TOAST – THE KING OF GOOD TIMES!!!!

DEAR CHAI  !!!! –ME,  YOU and BREAD TOAST – THE KING OF GOOD TIMES!!!!

Dear Chai,

How can I forget the good times I have had with you and our friend bread toast.  You guys have stayed with me through thin and thick (first I was thin and then became thick- pun intended).  Yes, in spite of this, you have comforted me during all those times of growing up when I was preparing for my exams, when mom was out for a vacation leaving me and my sister to run the home, during those times when I had a fight with my best friend, during those days of chums. You never gave up on me.

You have never left my side.  I adore you and would never ever give up on you.  Be it any comfort food in the world like pizza, pasta or Maggi, I can never settle for anything other than you. You know it well and I am happy about it.

During days of my growing up, we had these Iranian cafes.  My Dad took me to one of those cafes that served bun maska and I used to love it with hot piping tea.  I told amma to make something like that but she said it wasn’t possible to make it exactly like the Iranian guy. So that’s when she made something like a bread toast and masked it with home made butter with powdered sugar.  I felt if there was heaven on earth, it was this. Even now, I love my big cup of Chai with deep toasted bread with ghee and powdered sugar. The look on my face is like a child looking at a bar of chocolate.

The gastronomical high it can give me is just so delectable and plain and filled with nostalgia. The toast getting dipped in hot tea and making it slightly soft just right for my tongue is ambrosia.  The mating of the toast with tea is pure love and I have no words to express this unity with which they choose to stay inseparable from each other. If its tea, it has to be bread toast and so on.  Yes, but the story does not end here.  We also have another heroine in this story, its our salty Khari biscuit.

Have you heard the story of Krishna with two consorts Rukmini and Satyabhama.  Bread toast is like Rukmini and khari biscuit is like Satyabhama.  This can be ridiculous for the readers but for me its true in one way.  AS long as it brought a smile on your face, I am fine with it.  In our life, we can always relate certain life events to certain objects.  For me Chai is like the loveable and ever encompassing SriKrishna.  The king of good times, Dear Chai you are like Krishna. You will engulf everyone in you and you are eternal. What more can I speak about you, Dear Chai?

Toh isi baat pe ho jaaye ek pyaali chai?

Love always

Rekha

The God we seek everyday – Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh (Maheshwara) – The Auto aka Rickshaw

The God we seek everyday – Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh (Maheshwara) – The Auto aka Rickshaw

Yes, indeed, this is the god of everyday life that I feel each and every Mumbaikar seeks out first thing in the morning,  be it rushing to the office, school, meeting, shopping – you name it, a mantra for everyday commute is Eh Auto or rickshaw!!  For me, my day begins with taking the auto to the station, from there train and once I get down at the station, it is again seeking out help to the TRINITY once again.  Mornings are rushy for the Trinity bearers as well, the effortless manoeuvring of the auto is done with such ease. He will manage to peep the nose of his auto amongst crowded streets.  I have also found names written behind autos really intriguing, it will range from Munni badnaam hui to Khuda se Darr.  It can be anything from Babli aur Bunty to Diljale.  Another funny quote was Ram Yug mein Doodh mila, Krishna Yug mein Ghee… Is Yug mein Daroo mili, Khub dabaa ke Pee".  “Boyfriend ke saath baithkar, bhaiya bolna mana hai”.

Once I read something even funnier and really had a good laugh first thing in the morning and that’s like a good dose of vitamin D. It read something like “She is my girl, so beware” !!!. Seriously!!  I am really at wits end to understand this.  But yes, when I am plunged comfortably in an auto, I look out for autos with funny quotes. 

The 3 gods have to really tackle a lot of speed breakers (I beg to differ) on this one.  They actually are like small hillocks and you need to really hold on to your karma if you do not want to be thrown out of the auto.  If you are lucky and you have got an autodriver who is on the other side of bad karma, karma struck(lolz) you would reach your destination safely and securely.  Reaching one’s workplace is totally karma driven (I believe).

With years of travelling by auto and having learnt to distinguish the good karma driver with the not so good ones, I generally am on time.  I have come across repeat drivers who know my place of work by now drop me to my office.  Similarly, I have had instances where they tell me Madam, mera rickshaw khaali hai, can I drop you?  It sounds like AAja meri gaadi mein baithja  (Anu Malik seriously would have travelled by autos I guess so)!! Feels as if the Gods have showered their grace on me.  This grace is restricted to specific timings and if I reach the station after 9 a.m. it can be an absolute commotion and that day even grace hasn’t descended on you.  And if one of them happens to say yes to drop you, that particular moment is a moment equivalent to winning a lottery or India making it to the World Cup) and I am serious about it.

There are different types of vaahanchalak (aka autowallahs)-ones who keep continuously chattering and expecting a reply when the earplugs are literally kissing your ears.  They would not spare you till you hear their harikatha (family history).  Few others do not respond to your directions and few of them actually having loud music playing on their autos.  I generally avoid such vaahanchalaks.

Recently, I happened to get into a disco auto, it was somewhat around 7 p.m.  It was all red and blue upholstery with lights bordered and photograph of every Bollywood actor on the interiors of the auto. I felt as if I was in some mela.  It was really weird and everytime my auto stopped at the signal, the onlookers looked and smiled at me.  I cannot but express how I felt at that point in time.  See the list can get really long, but I would stop here giving you all some breathing space from this long long post.  Thanks for reading such a  lonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnng one.

Cya with yet another interesting encounter.  Till then, byee!!

Love

Rekha

Pinned my soul with the Nose pin – Happiness is!!!!

Pinned my soul with the Nose pin – Happiness is!!!!

I am someone who loves to dress up, irrespective of the occasion, I like to look good and happy, just the way I am. I have been a lover of accessories right from my childhood and I remember my mom mentioning this to me.  I remember how I used to have this absolute joyful look when I entered the bangles stores or the earrings shop (those days we didn’t have quite a lot of choices as compared to today’s shops or malls).

My first tryst with nose pins began when I just chanced upon an online site where few women posed just so elegantly and that’s when it hit me.  Why not try these lovely accessory pieces?  I didn’t have a nose pierce in a young age so I also did not want to take the trouble of piercing my nose permanently.  What if it pained and what if I wanted to discontinue wearing these?  So the press ones were the perfect arrangement for me. I could be my own boss, Wear it or discard it !! I wasn’t sure about how these would look and hence didn’t not order them online.  But went to a proper shop and tried out few of those.  I tried them just like a teenager, looking into the mirror back and forth and gaping in awe of myself and the feeling was surreal. That’s how these pieces of jewelry became a part of me and I would try and pair them with every outfit.

I started dating these tiny and cute pieces of jewelry around 2014 and from that time, there has been no looking back.  I look out for these at exhibitions, small shops or even the vendor who sells these in the train.  Be it enamel, silver, gold studded, black oxidized ones – the joy that it gives me is profound.

A nose pin can never be underestimated since I am of the opinion that it also gives a kind of symmetry to your overall look and it can make a dull face looking absolutely stunning.  It is so much a part of me just like my red lipstick.  I read a very beautiful line in one of the blogs that I read regularly.  Celebrate life!!! It is when I read such mindful stuff that it intrigues me into thinking that Yes it is.  Life is a celebration.  So celebrate every moment of it. We get this gift of 24 hours daily from the Divine.  Use it wisely, happily and to spread love and peace.

I celebrate myself daily by doing things that I love and celebrate it for everything that it has offered me.  These simple things could be anything from buying the simplest of things like a nosepin or a matching bindi or something as simple as road side shopping from Mulund market.  If I see it, feel happy and joyful about it, I buy it.  That’s my happiness quotient!!

P.S.: A RED BINDI, A RED LIPSTICK AND A NOSEPIN CAN NEVER GO WRONG!! TRUST ME-  keeps me happy and in joy

Love

Rekha Mahadevan

My small moments of happiness – how I look forward to them everyday like a child!!

My small moments of happiness – how I look forward to them everyday like a child!!

Somedays I am a Goddess, somedays I am like a wild child, and somedays I am a fragile mess but everyday I try and figure out what I am happy for??

When I write, read or utter the word Happinezz everything looks bright yellow and joyful for me.  Happiness for me is not something which is really big or giant sized. They are those small moments that happen in my life, some just come like a wave of wind kissing my forehead.  It could be anything from a call from a school friend to a text message from my cousin to a lovestruck message from my daughter on a photo that I would have shared on social media.  It could be as simple as Maddy - my husband telling me that the food is awesome, the breakfast is finger licking. It brings a smile and the feeling of contentment that sets into my soul cannot be expressed in mere words.

I am a young kiddo of 48 still figuring out those moments of happiness in my everyday life.  Today, I just stole couple of minutes to look at the rising sun with hues of orange and yellow through my dining room window. Felt so happy, for that.  I feel happy when my coffee is just perfect the way I like it.  I love it when I get some time to recite the Vishnu sahasranama first thing in the morning. It’s happiness when I apply rangoli made of rice flour outside my home. Its happiness when I see my kitchen sparkling clean at 745 a.m. in the morning after I have completed the morning chores of breakfast and lunch.

Yesterday got a few plants from the plant nursery.  Was tired after a hectic day, but still managed to check out at the nursery, got few flowering roses, ova plant and bamboo shoots. It was all for about 350 Rs. Felt happy that I could buy happiness so cheap.  Yes, Happiness is cheap if you find out that every moment that brings a smile to your face is free of charge in fact.

I feel happy on weekends when taking a warm shower and when the droplets of water fall on my shoulders and back. Its rejuvenating, I express gratitude for the unending supply of water we are blessed with.  Feel happy to catch up on a short nap in the afternoon snuggling beneath my rajai and putting the FAN on FULL mode. Its happiness when I know that there is enough for all of us to eat for the evening.  It could be as simple as having enough dosa dough in the fridge to make masala dosai for the evening tiffin. The list can never end.

Find out what you get happiness from? It may not necessarily be as big as buying a new home, vehicle, going for international holidays or cruises.

It could be as simple as going street shopping amidst that crowd or bazzar for buying a simple set of bangles or accessories.  All in all shopping for not more than 200 rs.  Yes, but it’s a happy feeling.  Ain’t we all hunting for happiness? So lets resolve to feel happy and seek happiness in our day to day lives. Am sure there are many moments where we have felt joyful from within.

The trick is to realise it and to inhale it deep within our body and soul.

p.s.  Got a long bamboo shoot and placed it in the centre table of my living room in a curvy glass bottle. Made me happy instantly like INSTANT COFFEE (though my filter kaaapi is much better).

Love you all

Thanks

Rekha Mahadevan

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION !!!!! – DEEPAVALI IS HERE!!

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION !!!!! – DEEPAVALI IS HERE!!

Just like Come September – It is Come Deepavali and every Indian household is filled to brim with Deepavali cleaning, sweets and savories making, lighting lamps, diyas, kandil buying and last but not the least shopping.  Shopping for clothes, shopping for rangolis, you name it we do each and everything during Deepavali.

However, with busyness setting into our lives and business also entering the lives of the caterers, there are not many who are as enthusiastic with regards to making sweets and savories.  Being born in a traditional Tambrahm family, having got married into one and being a mother to a 24 year old daughter, much hasn’t changed in my home and my life. 

I still enjoy the nostalgia associated with buying the raw materials for making pakodam, maa laddoo and theratipaal (all these are typical Tambrahm Delights) generally a must have in every Tambrahm household during Deepavali.  Vilakku, pakodam, maaladdo, theratipaal –A Typical Tambrahm household is filled with these sweets and savories.  The list includes adhirasam, thenkoyal, mullu pakodam, 7 cups barfi and many more.  The list is endless.

With changing times, many amongst us have slowly handed over this to the high end caterers like the Rajashekhars and the Raunaks who not only are counting big money for weddings but for every celebration like Deepavali,  krishnashtami and other festivals.

However, I still enjoy making these traditional sweets and savouries at home.  For me, making these sweets and savories is like getting in touch with my roots.  When I make the ribbon pakodam, it is like being in tune with the universe – I feel every planet gets encompassed in every circle. From the sun to the mars to Jupiter.  When the dough is towards the end, then it’s the turn of the stars (pun intended).

The maa ladooo(or the ladoo made from soft chana dal) is like Mother Earth – soft and pliable and her sweetness in each and every laddoo. The ghee that gets added to the laddoo are like soft drops of rain water – so you know if there is heavy downpour, it could be a mess.  Same goes with the ghee for the laddoos. Anything in excess is bad for us – we have been taught this so well right from childhood.  Certain virtues and values have to get imbibed in us – it has to be deep skin rooted.

The theratipaal (basically is peda or sweetened khoa) is made by heating sugar and milk and by contionously stirring it by keeping the gas on sim.  You can’t hurry it up or else it would be disastrous.  The same holds for life as well, we need to be patient.  Things will happen to us at the Right time and space and just hurrying up will mess up things. So be like Theratipaal – patient and sweet!!

I am somehow not very fond of the crackers since it not only makes the atmosphere polluted , it adds its part for noise pollution leading to a whole lot of health issues.

Lights, diyas for sure – I love them, it lends such warmth and happiness.  The candle diyas that we get, the floating candles are such a treat to the eyes.  Our entire building had such lovely rangolis welcoming the Goddess into each and every homes. We want to have a bit of her everyday, every year during Deepavali.  Torans made from orange and yellow marigolds is such a delightful watch outside every home.  Evenings are such full of festivities and goodness.

The colours of the rangolis signify every colour of our life, be it when we are happy as well as not so happy.  Yellow and oranges to reds violets and blues.  Greys and whites and browns for the times when we are sad.  Just like there is sunshine after every downpour, there is a rainbow of happiness after every not so good times.

So be cheerful, stay healthy and happy, eat your sweets but also exercise.

May every day of our life be like Deepavali where we try and spread light and happiness in each and every life that we meet beginning today!!!!

Loads of love

Yours

Rekha Mahadevan

p.s.  Even though we get a lot of outside sweets (not the ones made at home), the taste associated with the home made ones lingers in our taste buds.  My daughter is not very fond of the ones that we get from out, she still says AMMA ONE MORE MAALADDOO PLEASE!!! When she says that I am in seventh heaven.  Its like me getting an OSCAR!!!

Translation:

Pakodam  - Chakli

Maa laddoo-  sugar and dariya ka dal ladoos

Theratipaal – pedas not given a form.

Having the living room to myself – MY HOME, MY LITTLE SPACE – HAPPY SPACES MEANS HAPPY LIFE!!!

Having the living room to myself – MY HOME, MY LITTLE SPACE – HAPPY SPACES MEANS HAPPY LIFE!!!

Is asking for some space to one self too much to ask for?  I don’t think so. This is the story of every home maker who either stays with her in laws, her extended family or come to think of it her parents.  Everyone loves some SPACE to themselves.  There may be some from the old school of thought asking or questioning this very concept of Hey what does that mean?

Having stayed in a joint family (parents in law) for more than 26 years, it definitely means getting some breathing space in the LIVING ROOM/DRAWING ROOM when they are not around is an absolutely release for me.  It may sound a little weird for few who have not lived continuously in this kind of a set up.

It is not as if I abhor them or do not like their presence around me.  It is just that you feel a bit more free, you could put up your legs on the sofa, just sit, read, write, listen to music do whatever you could.  All in all, it means doing NOTHING which is absolutely wonderful for me as I begin to think of it.

Even few years back, the thought of doing nothing would make me feel go crazy and I would obviously judge anyone who would say I love to do nothing.  How could someone just sit and not do anything?   Nowadays I have realized that at times, doing nothing is amazing and feels wonderful.  I feel the need to spend the time with myself and that’s absolutely fantastic.  Over the years, I have realized that it is not always compulsory to slot your entire day with activities. Some days just doing nothing also sounds perfect and everyone should be doing it once in a while.

I was lucky to get that time off for a couple of days to myself and feel thankful for it.  Even little things like sitting on my jhoola (the wooden swing). Looking out of the window, watering my plants, listening to the wind blow, the soft droplets of rain falling on my face, kissing me, looking at my tulsi, betel plants (oh gosh, I haven’t even really looked at them since quite sometime), speaking to them, the feel and texture of my sofa covers, the soft yield of my hush pillows and the softness of the throw on my sofas felt so romantic. Looking at the yellowish orange sun rising from my living room made me feel that the SUN rose just for me (childish I know). 

 The soft fairy lights that I put ON in the evenings on the side corner of my drawing room felt so peaceful. The soft lights that fell on the yellow wallpaper of my living room looked dramatic.  I could write on and on. Thoughts flow from my brain to the lips with a gentle smile when I write these.  Feeling so happy for the SPACE that I got for some time. 

Feeling happy and giving thanks for this short break where I could just breakfree from the duty of having to run around doing things for family, extended family (even if it meant stretching myself more than necessary) also, having to make small talks at times, when I wanted to just sit doing nothing gets artificial at times and we follow it . This short break and SPACE really meant a lot to me and enjoying the space which helped me write once again. I am feeling just so HAPPY…..

Thanks to a  few close people who make me feel special again and again and who encourage me to write after a very looooooooooooooong sabbatical.

Giving thanks feeling happy yet again

Yours Always!!!!

Rekha Mahadevan