I am fat, and it’s all your fault.
When every happenstance seems mundane and ordinary, when you disappear, and they all slowly walk away, and all of it threatens to push me over the edge, into vast nothingness, I try and focus on my breathing. Inhale, exhale: over and over again, until the need to regulate it ceases, until I can focus on nothing but me, alone, safe, and warm, still alive and breathing. I focus on the smiles and laughter sequestered by the defense mechanisms honed by me and by you, by us all: romantic comedies/ action movies, popcorn, Coke with lots of ice and copious amounts of chocolate ice cream.
On the Spice Trail… in Gujarat
In late 2006, early 2007 I wrote 2 articles for a magazine called Incredible India. It’s been a while since they were published. So, here’s the second one, read on (and remember, it was written years ago!)…
Gujarati Cuisine has been aptly termed as ‘the Haute Cuisine of Vegetarianism’ by the famous Indian British cookbook writer Madhur Jaffrey. The Gujaratis are proud of their Khandavis, melt in the mouth gram flour rolls; Theplas, flat bread; chaas, buttermilk; Amrakhand, sweetened yoghurt with mango pulp(!); the famous Khakra, crispy triangular snack and Moothias, vegetarian kababs… the list is endless!
It was on a beautiful October morning that I set out towards the Metro station. I was out to explore the city for some serious Gujarati fare! Google had been shockingly unyielding of any results for restaurants specialising in Gujarati cuisine in Delhi! I was in shock and couldn’t believe that the capital could have a lack of options for food lovers! I clutched on to my contingency – a passing mention of a quaint little restaurant in Karol Bagh, Suruchi*.
All I remembered of Gujarati cuisine was from dinners at a family friend’s house in Mumbai. The food was delightful despite being strictly vegetarian! The finely chopped vegetables were cooked in a variety of aromatic spices, and the desserts were to die for! Gujaratis love to cook and labour over each preparation – the result is a gourmet’s dream come true!
So, with soaring expectations I entered one of the very few Rajasthani & Gujarati restaurants in the capital – Suruchi. The staff is as sweet as the Gujarati daal and as entertaining and engaging as the spicy chilli-garlic chutney with papad! It is evident that Gujaratis love fine-dining, and strongly believe in the age old adage – ‘Variety is the Spice of Life’. Despite bread and main course dishes in their diet, they necessarily need some side dish in their everyday meal – different types of kachumber (better known as salad), pickles, chutneys, buttermilk and not to forget, their meal is incomplete without a sweet dish.
The meal is predominantly vegetarian – barring the coastal region – and has more options than you can imagine! They use the simplest of ingredients and transform an ordinary everyday meal into a thali full of mouth watering delicacies. It is interesting to note the use of jaggery in Gujarati cuisine, many people wrongly assume that the Gujaratis have a sweet tooth and use jaggery in the main course without distinguishing between the desserts and snacks. It is true that each dish complements the other and accounts for an entire meal to be consumed together and not in stages; but adding jaggery to dishes was done to balance the extremely salty taste of the water and with time it became a habit!
The sumptuous meal at Suruchi consisted of the usual daal and kadhi and also a surprisingly delightful preparation of bitter gourd; very finely sliced cabbage tempered with asafoetida and mustard seeds, and a tangy channa curry and potatoes in a tomato and tamarind base. I was amazed at the exquisite flavours and textures; the unusual blending of sweet with savoury into a harmonious whole. The grand spread of Gujarati cuisine can be glimpsed and savoured in the very popular “Gujarati Thali” - a large silver platter consisting of innumerable bowls full of shaak (vegetable curries), daals (lentil based gravies), a variety of breads, savories – crispy, spicy fried farsaans, sweetmeats and an amazing range of sweet and sour chutneys and pickles. The entire meal achieves a delicate balance of sweet and sour, salty and spicy, crispy and soft, low fat and deep-fried! Gujarat is also known as the land of milk and butter, hence an extensive use of yoghurt and buttermilk is seen in Gujarati dishes.
Apart from the thali, there is a wide array of Gujarati cuisine which is prepared uniquely and consumed with a lot of relish – the staple dish of Gujarati cuisine is the khichdi (a simple lentil and rice mixture) – usually chawal and mung daal – eaten with kadhi (a sweet and sour curry made with yogurt using bay leaves, ginger, chilies and finely chopped vegetables). Main dishes are based on steamed vegetables and daals that are added to a vaghaar, which is a mixture of spices cooked in hot oil and adjusted to the digestive qualities of the main ingredient. Salt, sugar, lemon, lime, and tomato are used frequently to prevent dehydration in an area where temperatures reach 50 degree Celsius under the shade! The cuisine changes with the seasonal availability of vegetables and in some families, the spices also change depending on the season. Garam Masala and its constituent spices are used less in summer. Some of the well-known Gujarati delicacies are Paunk (a savoury snack which is a combination of various roasted cereals); Undhiyoon (a speciality of potatoes, sweet potatoes, brinjals and broad beans baked in an earthenware pot in a mud oven), khamam dhokla (a steamed sweet and salty cake made from chickpea flour), shrikhand (a dessert made from yoghurt spiced with saffron, nuts, cardamom and dry fruit) and doodh pak (a dessert of thick sweetened milk with dry fruit and nuts).
Even though the state of Gujarat has absorbed many outside influences down the ages, the cuisine has remained much the same. Every region’s cuisine evolves on the basis of available local ingredients and the climatic conditions. A very healthy and heavy meal popular in the villages near Saurashtra during the cold winters consists of thick Rotis called Bhakhri – Bajra flour, garlic chutney, onion and lots of buttermilk. It is a good source of heat which suits the villagers working on their fields in the harsh winters. Similary, sweets were prepared with ingredients like local sugar cane, jaggery, milk, almonds, and pistachios. These were originally served at weddings and family occasions as an instant energy booster for relations travelling long distances to attend the functions.
I could go on and on about Gujarati cuisine, but the sad truth is that this cuisine travelled in odd, half-hearted ways outside the state. The dhoklas, khandvi, assorted farsaans are well known and liked; the chutneys and pickles are sought after and the shrikhand has been marketed well by Amul! But the country has not sampled the main course dishes, the deliciously thin rotis and the apparently endless varieties of khichdi. The kachumbers (salads) are simple but extraordinary; Gujarati cooking has a taste for sesame seeds and peanuts (used to add crunch and protein), which is quite similar to Thai food. While the Thais argue that Gujarati traders travelling to Thailand and Malaysia borrowed the idea from them; historians have a different interpretation. Either way, I’m not complaining. They have converted a Punjabi-Daal Makhani & Butter Chicken lover into a shaak-enthusiast! For a taste of some authentic Gujarati cuisine, I suggest a visit to Suruchi*, at Karol Bagh.
***
*Suruchi
15 A / 56, W.E.A., Karol Bagh,
Opp. Roopak Stores, Ajmal Khan Road,
New Delhi: – 110005
Phone#: +91-11- 42503514 / 16 / 17 / 18
24 hours in Delhi
How we’ve changed! Or has the city? In late 2006, early 2007 I wrote 2 articles for a magazine called Incredible India. It’s been a while since they were published. So, here’s one, read on (and remember, it was written years ago!)…
Delhi. The city that romanced various dynasties; saw the rise and fall of empires since its inception as ‘Indraprastha’; accepted all with open arms and evolved into a melting pot of cultures. A beautiful affair of two cities: old and new – Purani Dilli and Lutyen’s Delhi. A shopper’s paradise and a food lover’s absolute fantasy! A breathing, breeding and completely maddening city. The greenest capital in the world. The city you cannot help fall in love with. The city of Djinns… The city rich with culture and heritage.
The National Capital cannot be experienced in twenty four hours. You need to taste the paranthas and the chaat, to smell the advent of winter and the bonfires, to feel the sun beating down on you, to see the various colours of the capital, and hear the many voices speaking all of India’s languages in one bustling metropolitan. You need to feel the shiver down your spine when you come in touch with history: when you look up at The India Gate. You need to eat ice cream in Delhi winters! Hear the crunch of the dry rusting autumn leaves under your feet. You need to inhale the rare Nargis flowers, and walk in one of the numerous green patches of the city.
Delhi has a lot to offer, so much to fall in love with…
If 24 hours is all you have for this city, I’ll try, only to compel you to return with a few days’ leave. A few glimpses of South Delhi, a stroll in Lutyen’s Delhi (central Delhi) and a tryst with history in Old Delhi is on your itinerary.
9:00 – 9:45 am
Dilli-wallahs love eating out – dhabas, fast food joints, chaat shops, casual as well as fine dining restaurant are plenty. The city is often known as the food capital of India and rightly so. So, start your day with a one of a kind array of south Indian (Tamil) delicacies at the Saravana Bhawan. A restaurant that has become quite a favourite with the dilli-wallahs! Even the ones that are sworn non-vegetarians fall in love with the ‘strictly’ vegetarian food, the ambience, and the friendly atmosphere. The restaurant is hygienic and a fine example of value for money.
10:00 – 11:00 am
Your next stop is the National Museum of History or you could visit the National Gallery of Modern Art. Ask your driver to take a detour and enjoy the sights of Rajpath and the India Gate lawns. India Gate is the majestic memorial to the unknown soldiers who lost their lives in World War I. There is also the Raj Bhawan perched on the Raisina Hill. The city looks truly magnificent as you drive around this area – as you look at the wide roads converging at the India Gate.
The National Museum is the largest museum in Delhi with over 2,00,000 exhibits of exquisite art both foreign and Indian – miniature paintings, musical instruments, manuscripts, sculptures and a lot more! This place is a history enthusiast’s haven. For those who would prefer analysing paintings the National Gallery of Modern Art is a must visit.
11:15 am – 12:00 pm
Delhi is also well known as a shopper’s paradise – choose between a shopping spree at Janpath or the well known underground market Palika Bazaar. For an unbeatable range of clothes and accessories at unbelievable prices you should browse away at Janpath and don’t forget to bargain! A must buy is a pair of kolhapuri chappals! At the infamous Palika Bazaar you can get great deals at electronics, CDs and DVDs. Despite being a Delhite I still get lost in this underground maze of shops selling a range of shoes, and leather goods at unheard of prices.
12:00 – 12:45 pm
After all that shopping, walk to CP’s inner circle and enjoy mouth-watering desserts and yummy chicken patties at Wenger’s – one of Delhi’s oldest pastry shops. Right behind the Wenger’s is the famous Keventer’s milkshake shop! A visit to CP definitely deserves a visit to this tiny shop which still has thousands of regulars pouring in, taking their pick from the variety of flavours on offer here – butterscotch and strawberry are quite popular.
12:45 – 2:00 pm
Another drive is in the offing; one of Delhi’s most popular tourist haunts is Dilli Haat. It’s a favourite amongst tourists, families, and even students for the variety of handicrafts available here and the cuisines from all of parts of India! You can pick from the various food stalls – there’s a kashmiri platter, north India’s most famous offering – Daal Makhani and Roti, there’s chhole bhature and chaat available, and North east Indian cuisine is also quite popular! All sorts of Indian desserts are also available – just pick what you feel like indulging in, although a visit to Delhi without Gulab Jaamuns is unforgivable! To burn all those calories you can look around at the handicrafts on display and even do some shopping. If you are lucky there might be some performance that you can enjoy.
2:00 – 2:30 pm
Delhi has many monuments interspersed with the modern buildings and the various shopping centres and office complexes. It will be impossible to visit all of them in a day, but Safdarjung Tomb is a five minute drive from Dilli Haat. The monument stands in the middle of an extensive garden and is referred to as the “Last flicker in the lamp of Mughal Architecture” in India.
2:30 – 3:15 pm
The next monument you should visit is located on the Bharat Scout Guide Road; the drive on this road takes you far away from the crazy bustle of city life. Humayun’s tomb is the first significant example of Mughal architecture in India. It was built in the 16th century by the Humayun’s widow. The elements of the building’s design are said to be the basis for many Mughal monuments including the Taj Mahal.
3:15 – 4:15 pm
The city is a delightful and eclectic mix of histories, cultures, people, languages, cuisines and a lot more! One minute you are enraged at the insane traffic and the next you are driving on one of the most beautiful roads you’ve ever seen to majestic monuments that take your breath away.
After you are done exploring Humayun’s tomb, it’s time to take a similar drive and experience one of the cultural hotspots of New Delhi – the India Habitat Centre – popularly referred to as IHC. If you would like an evening drink or indulge in a pancake or two, the American Diner is your next stop. If you feel like Dilli ki Chaat or need more variety you can walk over to Eatopia – one of Delhi’s most favoured food courts with a lot to choose from. But food isn’t really IHC’s main attraction. It’s the paintings or photographs on display; it’s the plays, the concerts and film screenings. The amphitheatre transports one back to days of sharing cigarettes and chai and conversations with friends.
4:15 – 4:45 pm
If you need some more of the capital’s greenery, a walk through Lodi Gardens is next on your itinerary! The vast grounds of Lodi Garden were established in the 15th and the 16th centuries by the Sayyids and Lodis, these were then re-landscaped in 1968. There are also several tombs situated in the garden, which belong to the Lodi and Sayyid era, and include Muhammad Shah’s and Sikander Lodi’s tomb.
4:45 – 5:45 pm
Your next stop is The Red Fort for a Sound & Light show. Every evening this show recreates the rich history of the fort. There are shows in English and Hindi, and tickets are available at the Fort itself. Before the show catch a few glimpses of Purani Dilli (Old Delhi). This part of Delhi is starkly different from the city you’ve been trying to explore. It was once the city of Shahjahanabad. Shah Jahan established it and made it his capital. Today, it is a labyrinth of narrow lanes lined with remains of 17th century havelis (mansions).
5:45 – 6:45 pm
The major attractions of the area are Chandni Chowk, Red Fort and Jama Masjid. You can walk around this area but a rickshaw ride through the incredibly tiny lanes is not to be missed! It is now more than 300 years old and is also one of India’s most prominent wholesale and retail markets! It is right opposite the Red Fort and houses the Digamber Jain Temple, with a ‘Birds’ hospital’, and Fatehpuri Mosque. Go ahead and take your pick. And don’t miss the Dilli ki chaat available at various shops or the famous Paneer Jalebi (sweetmeats)! Ask around and someone will guide you in the right direction.
6:45 – 9:00 pm
Its time to start walking towards the Red Fort. Shah Jahan, shifted his capital from Agra to present Old Delhi (Shahjanabad), and laid the foundation of Lal Qila or Red Fort on 16th April 1639. It took nine years to complete this mighty fortress. It is said that its construction took about one crore of rupees! An exorbitant sum in those days, most of which was spent to build the exotic palaces within the fort – Diwan-i-am (Hall of Public Audience), Diwan-i-Khas (Hall of Selective Audience), the Naubat Khana (The drum house), the Moti Masjid and Mumtaz Mahal. The majestic octagonal red sandstone fort has two gates – Lahori Gate (the entrance) and Delhi Gate – as they face Lahore and Delhi respectively.
9:00 – 10:00 pm
After the show, indulge in a sumptuous dinner at Karim Hotel at Jama Masjid. It has been ranked the 2nd Best Restaurant in Delhi, after Bukhara. The food here is to-die-for! The traditional recipes transport you back to the magnificent times of the Mughals. This magical little restaurant was established in 1913. A visit to Delhi deserves a meal here. The sufi qawalis playing at panwaris (pan sellers) and the sight of a beautifully lit Jama Masjid are part of the walk to Karim’s, and prepare you for the food you are about to enjoy. There’s the Ibteda (soups) you can start with and the choices for main course are immense. You should definitely try the kababs and tikkas that melt in your mouth. There are various chicken and mutton dishes to suit anyone’s fancy, and for the vegetarians there is no dearth of options. You can also choose from a variety of rice dishes and a range of rotis (breads). If you aren’t in the mood for rich and traditional mughlai food and don’t mind spending a little extra (and here little is an understatement) then there is Bukhara, at the ITC Maurya Sheraton, which serves delicious north-western frontier cuisine. It has also been rated the ‘Best Indian Restaurant in the World’! The Sikandari Raan and the Dal Bukhara are undoubtedly the best served in India. This restaurant has not changed its menu or recipes for the past 30 years! The regulars, the patrons won’t have it any other way.
10:30 pm
Delhi’s food is exceptionally satisfying but there’s much more to do…! You can head out to various bars or pubs in the city depending solely on your mood. For those who love rock, there’s Turquoise Cottage – The Other Side. This place is usually packed and it is the music (rock, jazz) that makes is exceptionally popular. For those who like their scotch, the Whiskey Bar, at The Grand, beckons. The bar has an exceptional collection of single malts, the largest in Delhi, and also serves cocktails. Another club which has taken Delhi by storm is Elevate. The raised DJ portal ensures that the DJ takes centre stage! The club is spread over 3 floors and has the largest club layout in India. If you like clubbing, you won’t want to miss this place. The pulsating beats and memories of Delhi will mesmerise you…
Little ones.
They were frail creatures not from our world. They didn’t belong here, they couldn’t survive here, they consumed fresh air and sunshine, dewdrops to quench their thirst and fell-fruit collected from the Garden. They were delicate and breakable; their waif-like beauty was oh-so-terrible. They didn’t belong here, they couldn’t survive here.
The Garden provided them with ample space. They rested in tree-houses and were a romantic, magical lot. Their time was spent studying ways to take care of the Garden: beautifying it, growing it, cleaning it, loving it… They also read, wrote and drank berry wine when they were relaxing. They sang beautifully and danced in unabashed abandon when it rained. They used magic to spin soft, soft cloth for their carnivals and create magnificent armour of the strongest and lightest metal. They even liked accessorizing with silver, at times, platinum. See, they were not of our world.
She was the most skilled armour creator the Garden had ever seen. They said, there was magic in her hands. Some said, she never gave away the correct proportions of metals used for her armour. Others whispered about blood magic. They whispered for it was wrong to pour a part of yourself into metal, it was unacceptable that a creator will create another thing which could live through its owner, breathe through its owner’s skin and hunger for its owner’s enemy’s blood. To let blood be entwined with metal, to use magic to bind life and the unliving was punishable to say the very least.
The metal shone silver, a dark deathly silver, it was smooth and caressed him, clung to him protectively as he latched it on. She smiled at the perfect armour. He stared at himself in the mirror, he felt stronger, calmer and had an unavoidable urge to kill. Instead, he turned towards her and thanked her. She smiled and held out her hand, he grasped it and followed her inside her tree house. She reached for his surrendered hand and placed it near the mouth of a glass vial. She pierced his finger with a thin platinum knife, “it doesn’t contaminate the blood”, he stared helplessly as drop after drop of pure crimson trickled into the vial. A minute passed and finally the vial was full, she sealed it and placed it in one of the many cabinets that lined the curving walls of her chamber.
“This is payment for my craft. Your blood will be used to create strong armours for our kind. After all, the humans are coming…”
“So the rumours are true… they’ve found us!”
“They will… soon”
“How do you know these things?”
“My magic is stronger than yours could ever be…”
“For you have gone beyond silver and platinum!”
She laughed softly and looked deep into his scared, defiant eyes. “And for power, you have too! Donning an armour drenched in old magical blood! Yes! Don’t look so shocked now, you knew the second you comissioned it, you knew when I asked for payment in cash and blood!”
“I… I wasn’t sure…” he stammered.
She pressed the platinum knife against his pale neck and snarled at him, “The armour will not protect you against its maker. Remember that.”
“What in the Gardener’s name…?” he exclaimed as the entire tree house began to shake uncontrollably. The two fell sideways, unable to maintain balance. She grabbed on to the cabinets, these she had nailed to the walls in case of earthquakes. She gave him her free hand and he latched on. And as suddenly as it had started, it stopped. Furniture, rugs, her favourite looking glass – everything was ruined. She tried to get up and realised that her beloved tree house lay on its side. It was almost as if someone had snatched it from the tree and placed it sideways on solid ground.
She cringed and voiced both of their thoughts, “Humans”. And then they heard it, a very loud, booming giggle followed by a little girl’s voice, “Mommy! Look what I found? A doll’s tree house!’
of habits and homecomings…?
I am reading Ashok Banker’s Ramayana series. The retelling, if you please, of one of the greatest epics ever written.
I was super excited about this particular series, I finally ordered it online, I got a good deal and now, I’ve finished Book 1, Prince of Ayodhya. Ram is terribly awesome, Ravana is so evil and fun, sadly, Dasaratha is quite the ideeyut.. And me being me – even though I have problems with the prose, with some of the scenes, with some characters - will sit and read all the books cause I just have to finish a series if started. So, I am now reading Book 2, Seige of Mithila. Sita has finally been introduced and well, she is quite something. I like. His words and sentences and openings and even chapters seem better edited, better placed. I do hope this maturing of writing style continues for the next 5 books. Sigh.
Oddly enough, it’s Diwali, day after. Ram’s homecoming. Not Rama’s, Ram’s. Thankyouverymuch. And I’m reading all about him eh? Heh! But I just don’t feel the festivities this year.. I haven’t felt the need to go buy something new to wear, I haven’t even helped Maa shop for gifts or sweets or those crazy hampers you get during Diwali season! It’s quite upsetting. If I wasn’t so brain dead, it would be disconcerting!
Oh! well, nevermind all that. Happy Diwali everyone! Decorate ‘em houses with candles and diyas! Eat mithai, play cards with super low stakes, dress up, smile and do NOT burst crackers, please! Heh.
PS. I want to write a fuckin’ awesome book! I really do, now please give me a story.
