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In Cooking, Cooking for newbies, Uncategorized

Mealthy MultiPot Review

Speaking ChicJune 12, 2020June 12, 2020Leave a comment

I’m certain I’m not the only one who’s had a tough time with household chores since the lockdown began in March. Despite the tremendous support from the husband, my very active infant leaves me with not enough time or energy for tasks like cooking, cleaning and simply managing my life.

And so, I was on the hunt for appliances to make my life easier, now and in the long run. (Has anyone checked if dishwasher and vacuum cleaner sales spiked during or after the lockdown?). I especially wanted something that would make cooking easier, given the amount of time it consumes every day and the sweltering heat.

Some friends who have lived abroad had mentioned the Mealthy pot a couple months ago, just before the lockdown began, so as soon as I heard Mumbai was allowing delivery of “non-essentials”, I quickly logged on to their website, explored it features, and I was SOLD. A few clicks later, and Amazon confirmed that my 6 litres Mealthy MultiPot was on its way.

There was much excitement when it arrived, therefore sadly no unboxing video. But now that I’ve been using this appliance every day since it arrived, it’s time to post my Mealthy MultiPot review.

Mealthy MultiPot with silicon mitts — The Mealthy MultiPot comes with silicon mitts like these red ones.

What the Mealthy MultiPot does

Dubbed the “9-in-1 Programmable Smart Electric Pressure Cooker”, think of the Mealthy as a pressure cooker on genius pills. Basically, you put your ingredients in it (vegetables, grains, meat, seasonings), add sufficient liquid (such as water or stock), select a cooking programme with a specific time, and voila! Your dish is ready.

What you can cook

I’ve tried regular Indian dishes in my Mealthy MultiPot so far, such as:

Brown rice
Khichdi
Several types of dal
Sambhar
Dhansak
Boiled eggs
Dry subzis such as capsicum and aloo gobi

And they have all turned out well. The final dish is the same result as it would be after cooking in a kadhai, wok or a pot or standard pressure cooker on my stovetop burner.

You can also prepare oats, curries and cakes, steam vegetables, dhokla or idlis, and stir fry dishes. Lots of food ideas are out there. Some of the standard programmes include eggs (for soft or hard boiled), multigrain (for brown rice, oats, quinoa and the like), poultry (for chicken), and slow cooker (for those ultra special dishes).

My Mealthy MultiPot already has its first battle scars!

Some cool features of the Mealthy MultiPot

Cooking timer: You decide how long to cook each dish, depending on your preferences. So if you like your rice a tad al dente, you can cook for a shorter duration. So each dish is completely customised to your taste.

Sealed lid: The Mealthy lid won’t open while there’s still pressure inside, which makes the pot a very safe appliance to have in your kitchen.

Cooking indicator: An LCD screen tells you what stage of cooking is going on (pre-heating, cooking, or complete), so you’re not confused if you lose track of time writing your blog post (ahem).

Keep warm: Cooking done? The Mealthy will switch to Keep Warm mode so the food doesn’t get cold, and you don’t need to reheat.

Delayed start: For me, the most exciting feature is the delay start button, which lets you set the timer for the cooking start time. So you can set the cooker for, say, six hours from now, fill in the cooker settings, add your ingredients, seal the pot, and then let the magic happen on its own, while you are away. Which means, that you can technically wake up to a cooked breakfast or come home to a ready dinner.

What I’m liking about the Mealthy MultiPot

The Mealthy’s features are easy to use and fairly intuitive once you get the hang of the appliance (it doesn’t take that long, really).

I love that I can set a cooking timer and forget about it. The other day I was in a rush to run errands, so I did a quick tempering (tadka), added soaked chana dal and sufficient water, sealed the pot, set the timer, and rushed out. When I came home, the dal was ready!

Making standard Indian subzis or dals is easy peasy. You need just two modes: sauté (for the seasoning/ tadka) and pressure cooking (for cooking). Nothing complicated!

The MultiPot comes with a booklet of Indian recipes that you can try. I’ve been trying out a few recipes to see how they work with respect to timings and settings, so next time around I can adjust the timings and water proportion to get the texture I like.

What you need to know before you buy

Of course like any other appliance, the Mealthy has its limitations. For instance, I wouldn’t recommend deep frying in this pot. Nor can you prepare “instant” things, like noodles etc.

This appliance also has a bit of a learning curve as you learn to adapt recipes to suit your own favourites. You’ll need to do some experimentation and read up recipes on the Mealthy website or app to figure out how to adapt your recipe to Mealthy settings and proportions.

Having said that, once you’ve got the hang of it, there’s no looking back!

Verdict

Should you buy the Mealthy MultiPot? A resounding yes.

Where to buy

The Mealthy MultiPot is available on their official India website as well as on Amazon India.

Price

The six litres Melathy MultiPot is priced at Rs 9,990, while the three litres version is for Rs 7,750 (on the official Mealthy India website).

In Cooking, Cooking for newbies, Food

The ultimate list of kitchen essentials: Part 2 (cookware)

Speaking ChicApril 5, 2020April 5, 2020Leave a comment

A while ago, I shared the first part of my ultimate list of The ultimate list of kitchen essentials: Part 2 (cookware) your kitchen and keep it running smoothly.

But then you also need tools to turn those ingredients into edible, delicious, satisfying food.

So, what do you need for your kitchen to cook?

Cookware.

With just a few cookware pieces, you can cook a whole variety of foods and dishes. Most of the utensils are versatile and multi-purpose, ideal for small kitchens and compact homes.

Luckily, most utensils are available in a variety of sizes, so if you’re cooking for just one or two people, you can go for the smallest sizes or just a size above the smallest. It’s always good to have a larger cooking utensil or two for when you want to cook in bulk for the next few days or next couple of meals, or have guests coming over.

It’s tempting to go for the smallest utensil size when you’re cooking for just one, but if you plan to cook for at least a couple of meals together, you will need a larger vessel.

Pressure cooker

Every Indian kitchen needs at least one pressure cooker. Why? Because a pressure cooker can be used for many, many things. Need to boil potatoes in a jiffy? Pressure cooker. Want to cook brown rice quickly? Pressure cooker. Prepare dal? The pressure cooker, of course.

Of course, you need a bit of umm… “special skills” to use a pressure cooker, because they need to be opened and closed in a very specific way. But once you get the hang of it, it will be super easy. (The first time I used a big pressure cooker, I had to Google “how to open pressure cooker from X brand” and I was lucky enough that they had posted a YouTube video demonstrating this).

The most popular brands in India for pressure cookers are Vinod Steel, Prestige and Hawkins, though there are many more that are also very good.

Small frying pan or skillet

Again, a versatile piece of cookware for the Indian kitchen.

A small-sized frying pan is useful for cooking for eggs and omelettes, making a quick tadka (tempering) for your dal, pan-frying something, and even making pancakes and small uttapams. Another great use- spread some butter, use it to toast your favourite grilled cheese sandwich on medium flame to get the right bit of melted cheese. Yum!!!

I use the skillet to sauté something quickly (in very small amounts) , for roasting makhana (fox nuts) and whole spices, and for cooking something lightly like pieces of paneer.

Kadhai or wok

You need at least two kadhais or woks in your kitchen, even if you’re a small household. After all, Indian subzis are best made in kadhais.

Saucepan or pateela

You will need the humble pateela every morning to make chai. These are available with a single long handle or with two or none, and both serve your purpose. I also use a medium-sized saucepan to make instant noodles, to boil some sprouts or small quantities of pasta, and even to toss up a salad (off the flame).

Large pot for dals and curries aka tope

Most Indian kitchens have large steel pots they use for a variety of reasons, for cooking rice or curries. You can invest in one such pot if you are going to cook in larger quantities. It is most helpful to have such pots with handles so they are easier to move about. But many of the larger steel pots come without handles.

Other cookware (optional, but useful):

Griddle with “lines”: This is like a stove-top grill on which you can toast your sandwiches, grill chicken, fish or even veggies and paneer.

Flat tawa with handle for dosa: This can be a non-stick tawa, because they’re generally easier to handle.

Tawa for chapatis and parathas

Other cookware essentials

Sometimes the most useful things are overlooked, because they are small, and you realise how important they are only when they are missing, like a button on your shirt.

These cooking tools are as useful as the pots and pans and griddles, and you definitely need to budget for them when you go shopping.

Wooden spoons and spatulas: For cooking, stirring, stir-frying

Ladles or karchhis: For cooking, stirring, serving dals and curries

Spatula for frying (this is the one with holes): They are also called skimmers, but not many people use that word!

Flat steel spatula for eggs, pancakes and dosas

Colander: This is a large steel strainer with a mesh for washing vegetables and draining cooked spaghetti.

Tongs aka chimta: For chapattis and parathas

Kitchen pincers aka pakkad: For lifting pots and pans that don’t have handles

Rolling board and rolling pin aka chakla and belan: For chapattis and parathas

Large steel plate aka paraat: For making dough for chapattis and parathas

Small strainer: For tea and milk

Chopping board: If you cook meat, best to have a separate board to use only for meat.

Knives: Knives are of different shapes and sizes, and each knife serves a different purpose. The small ones are inexpensive and easy to manage. The fancier ones that are similar to chef’s knives may need regular sharpening.

Peeler: For potatoes, carrots and other vegetables

A word on kitchen storage

If you love cooking, especially different cuisines, you will have a gazillion ingredients and you will need containers for them all. Your counter will fill up and your kitchen cabinets will be overflowing. Even your fridge will always be full.

Sigh.

Yet, we all need to make the best of what we have. Look for ways to optimize your storage space, and don’t go all crazy buying too many ingredients. You will also need to be very organized and keep everything back in its place, if you don’t want things to get lost!

Kitchen storage essentials

Steel containers for storage: Keep several containers in several sizes, to store everything from atta to biscuits.

Plastic or glass containers for storage: If you are saying NO to plastic (good thing!), opt for neat-looking glass containers with airlocked lids. This ensures your snacks stays fresh.

Oil pot: These are usually of steel, and make it easy to pour oil when you cooking.

Ghee pot: Again, made of steel and they have an easy open lid to get out the ghee quickly.

Masala box: The focal point of an Indian kitchen, my steel masala box has travelled with me from India to Myanmar and back. Six years plus, and still going strong. With the right quality steel, you will quickly get attached to your spice box.

Useful tips on buying cookware

Sizes: If you are a small household, then buy the smallest or the medium sized utensil. You don’t need big ones, unless you are cooking for a larger family.

Maintenance: Ask the retailer about the correct way to wash and use the utensils. This is especially true for pressure cookers. Each brand has its own special technique, so if you’re not used to it, you could be struggling for hours!

Comfort: Try to buy kadhais and other cooking utensils with heat-resistant lids and handles.

Non-stick or not: There is a general belief that non-stick cookware is harmful and can make your food toxic. But they are easy to wash and you can cook with less oil or butter. So should you use them or not? While most experts say non-stick is safe as long as you don’t cook it in very high temperatures, choosing to use non-stick (or not) is a very personal choice. Read this article by Nutrition Diva and another one by Good Housekeeping to get a better understanding on the subject.

In Cooking, Cooking for newbies, Food

The ultimate list of kitchen essentials (Part 1)

Speaking ChicNovember 26, 2018March 19, 2020Leave a comment

I’ve had to set up kitchen for myself not once, not twice, but THRICE in a span of three years.

Which probably means that I’ve become a champ at setting up kitchens (no, not really), and that I live a nomadic life (not anymore, I believe).

Let’s face it, setting up a kitchen is a HUGE task. You need to have cookware, you need basic cutlery, you need so many handy little things, and of course, you need ingredients to cook your food.

If you aren’t used to cooking (like I wasn’t) or you’re a cooking/ kitchen newbie, the mere idea of getting a kitchen up and running can be incredibly exciting and super confusing, frustrating and overwhelming.

When I was teaching myself how to cook very basic Indian food, I would go through recipes online and ask myself, “Why don’t I have this ingredient in my kitchen? Am I missing out on something essential?” And that would lead to serious self-doubting of my cooking abilities, second guessing what I was already cooking, and lamenting on why there wasn’t any help available on kitchens for newbies.

Moms, aunts, grandmas can all get quite cagey on kitchen-related questions, so asking them can be stepping into a minefield. Sure, there’s lots of gyaan on things like how to use ingredients, and there are gazillions of recipes, but how is a girl (or guy) supposed to even get to recipes without knowing what to stock in their kitchen?

Like once I spotted a recipe that called for onion seeds. The recipe seemed simple, but what on earth were onion seeds? I didn’t know onions even had seeds? Turns out they are also called kalonji in Hindi and are quite commonly used in Indian pickles. I did buy some onion seeds, and I used those in my kitchen, guess how many times in over a year? Twice. Yup, twice.

#Facepalm.

Deep down I always knew I would write about my nasty kitchen experiences some day (I have a book outline saved in one of my fancy journals), but first, it’s time to help someone with their kitchen.

What should you start with? What do you really, truly need? What’s nice to have, but not necessary? What’s nice to buy for later?

Too many questions, but not enough (clear) answers.

So here I’ve put together a list of essential ingredients and foods that you need in your starter kitchen. This is only scratching the surface. Indian cooking is complex and vast, so maybe you read this and go tut-tut-tut. But trust me, I’ve lived with only this much for a while and I’ve survived.

Good luck to you!

Indian spices or masalas- essentials

Food needs flavour and in most Indian dishes, the flavours come from these masalas.

Salt
Black pepper powder*
Red chilli powder
Turmeric powder
Cumin seeds aka jeera
Powdered cumin aka jeera powder*
Coriander power*
Black mustard seeds aka rai
Asafoetida aka hing (remember the scene in the film Queen?)

*How to ground spices (black pepper, cumin seeds, coriander seeds)

You can buy these spices in the powdered form (easier) or you can buy them whole and ground them at home (for which you need a dry grinder).

How to grind whole masalas:

Heat a small pan or kadhai. Do not add oil or ghee. Keep it on low flame and add a small handful of the whole spice (black pepper, cumin or coriander seeds). Stir the spices with a dry wooden spoon or spatula. After a while, the aroma and colour of the spices will begin to change. That’s when you take it off the heat, let it cool a bit, and then run it through a dry grinder. Voila! Your powdered masala is ready.

Storage tips for Indian spices or masalas

Since I have a small household, I usually buy masalas in packets of 250 grams. Some brands offer smaller packs of spices. I have a steel masala box (a common sight in Indian kitchens, and super useful), in which I empty out all the masalas. Then the remaining contents of the larger packs go into separate steel or reusable plastic containers and into a corner of the fridge.

Indian spices and ingredients- optional

Aamchoor or dried mango powder (used in north Indian cooking)
Kasuri methi or dried fenugreek leaves
Ajwain or carom seeds

Ingredients for Indian cooking- essentials

Every kitchen needs a strong foundation, and I don’t mean the flooring here. The items in this short list are the building blocks of most Indian cuisines.

Cooking oil: The right oil to use for cooking is a hotly debated topic, and I’m not going anywhere near that debate! Pick an oil that you are used to, and that suits your taste buds.
Ghee: You can’t make dal or khichdi without a tadka made in hot ghee. Ghee adds another dimension to anything.
Chaat masala: This innocuous masala mix adds flavour to everything, from omelettes to subzis (because, why not?). You can also have variations of these like sandwich masala, kitchen king masala and even pav bhaji masala!
Ginger garlic paste: Brings flavour to dals and subzis in less than a teaspoon
Atta: For those who want to make chapatis, rotis or phulkas
Rice: White, brown, red, organic, basmati- stock whatever you like.
At least 2-3 types of dals: Everyone has different favourites when it comes to dal, but yellow moong dal and toor dal are easy and quick to cook.

Storage tips for Indian ingredients

Rice and dal can be stored in steel or plastic containers in your kitchen cupboard. If you buy them in bulk, it’s best to tuck them away in the fridge so they last longer.

Rice stays good for a long, long time though some types of dal can go bad in a few weeks, especially in hot Indian weather.

Refrigerator essentials

There’s nothing for comforting than a neat, well-stocked fridge after a long day at work. With your essentials, you know you won’t go hungry.

Bread: Refined flour, whole grain, multi-grain, gluten-free, baguette, sliced loaf etc, take your pick
Butter: Amul is a classic but new unsalted butter varieties are also available
Jam: For sweet breakfasts, yay!
Cheese as cubes, slices or both: Great for sandwiches and garnishes
Eggs: Can be cooked for breakfast, lunch, dinner, brunch, supper or any other meal you can think of.
Milk: Fresh cow’s milk, packaged milk, almond milk, grass-fed cows’ milk, soy milk, your choice!

Storage tips for refrigerator essentials

Bread is good for 3-4 days, maybe a bit longer if you’ve bought it fresh and stored it in the fridge immediately.

Butter, jam and cheese: Refer to expiry date labels. They easily stay for a few months from date of packaging.

Eggs: This is a tricky one. You can keep them for a few days to a couple of weeks in the fridge, and even longer. They do lose their freshness, and you will feel it in the texture of your fried egg or omelette. But I use this egg freshness test to check if they are still “good”. My simple rule: If they smell funny after cracking, throw them away.

Vegetables- essentials

Subzis or cooked vegetable dishes are the backbone of Indian cooking. So it is difficult to define the “essential” vegetables, but these are the top three:

Onions
Tomatoes
Potatoes

Vegetables- some more essentials

Some people love karela (bitter gourd), some like cabbage. So the “essentials” vary by household. Make a list of subzis you want to eat soon, and that becomes your “essentials list” for the next few days. Some recommendations:

Green capsicum aka bell pepper, carrots, french beans, cauliflower, brinjal, lauki (doodhi) or any other of your choice.
Green peas (can freeze after shelling or buy a frozen pack)
Cucumber (because I love cucumber-and-butter sandwiches)

Fresh produce for Indian cooking- essentials

Always have these at hand for flavouring subzis, dal, khichdi etc. They are all available at your neighbourhood vegetable vendor or subziwala.

Whole green chillies
Curry leaves
Ginger
Garlic
Lemon
Coriander leaves
Fruits of your choice

Storage tips for vegetables and other fresh produce:

Onions and potatoes don’t generally go in the fridge but I keep them in the vegetable drawer anyway.

Tomatoes in refrigerator? The jury is divided on this one, but I prefer to refrigerate them so they last longer.

Green chillies, curry leaves, coriander leaves and ginger are best stored in the refrigerator in separate containers. They can easily last up to a week.

Coriander leaves should be stored separately, in steel boxes with tiny holes. They dry out quickly.

Most veggies last at least 3-4 days in the fridge, even longer if you bought them super fresh.

It’s best to store fruits at room temperature.

Basic non-Indian ingredients- essentials

Indian cooking can be tiring some times, and we all need a change too. Pastas and noodles are easy to put together with just a few ingredients.

Pasta of your choice (macaroni, spaghetti, penne etc)
Chinese noodles
Oats (plain)

Storage tips for basic non-Indian ingredients

Pasta, noodles and oats can be stored at room temperature and should be consumed by expiry date mentioned on their packets.

Cooking shortcuts- essentials

Just what you need on lazy days.

Packaged instant noodles like Maggi, Top Ramen or Wai Wai (ummm yeah, not ideal, but why not?)
Ready made pasta sauces (a pre-made spicy red tomato sauce saved my life once!)
Ready made dosa or idli batter (if you like making these)
Instant soups
Instant oats in various flavours

Add-ons for non-Indian cooking- essentials

Use these seasonings to create delicious woks, salad dressings and more.

Soy sauce
Vinegar
Assorted Chinese sauces of your choice, like Schezwan (from Ching’s Secret or similar)
Mayonnaise and other “dressings” (I don’t have this, but many people find it useful), useful for sandwiches and salads
Dried oregano, red chilli flakes, basil etc. General stores also stock seasonings like “Mexican seasoning mix” and “Italian seasoning” which can be very handy when you’re quickly tossing something together. These are quick albeit tasty shortcuts to the “real” thing.

Storage tips for add-ons

Refrigerate the mayo, dressings and sauces, especially once you open it.

Follow the expiry dates for all the seasonings, sauces etc.

Other essentials

Your favourite brands of tea and/ or coffee
Favourite snacks like wafers or biscuits

How it all comes together

With just this list of kitchen essentials, you can make at least a dozen dishes that will keep you nourished, satisfied and happy. 🙂

Chilli cheese toast
Omelettes, fried eggs, sunny side up
Stir fries and woks
Several types of pastas
Several subzis
At least 5-6 variations of dal, depending on the tadka (or tempering)
Many types of sandwiches
Chapatis, rotis, phulkas
Khichdi

What are your absolutest must-have can’t-do-without-them kitchen essentials?

PS- Everyone has different food requirements, so maybe my list won’t match yours. But I will keep adding to this list, if something new occurs to me. 🙂

In Food

Book Review: Korma Kheer and Kismet by Pamela Timms

Speaking ChicNovember 6, 2018November 5, 2018Leave a comment

Korma Kheer and Kismet: Five Seasons in Old Delhi by Pamela Timms

Rating: 4 out of 5

At the beginning of her book Korma Kheer and Kismet, writer Pamela Timms declares that she wants (no, she needs) the recipe for the mutton korma at Ashok and Ashok. That sparks off her street food adventure in Delhi and beyond. She samples jalebis, daulat ki chaat and even chhole kulche in Amritsar. She loves them all and must know how to recreate these dishes at home.

Her approach to the mission? A direct and tireless one. She asks vendors for their recipes, takes help from Delhi foodies, gets invited to people’s homes and even breaks bread with the families of vendors and food business owners.

Since most of my food-related reading has been restricted to mostly blogs and cookbooks, I was doubtful if a longer piece of food writing such as Korma Kheer and Kismet would sustain my interest. Yes, it did.

The result of the author’s efforts is a book that is a delicious, irresistible and natural culmination of her quest. Her expedition leads her to old Delhi, where she encounters the city’s signature dishes, from kheer to jalebis to daulat ki chaat (which I had never heard of before).

The journey to discovery

Throughout the narrative, Timms weaves in the history of the city, bits of her personal life and the stories of the people she meets. Through these experiences, she discovers the food culture of the city, and as a side dish, the Indian ethos.

The writing is subtly humourous and remarkably descriptive. The pages come alive with people and food. You can smell the fresh jalebis, hear the sizzle of a tawa, feel the warmth of a stove and enjoy the camaraderie and Indian chaos on the streets.

With the author, your mouth waters at the all-season favourite aloo tikkis, you admire the grittiness of the vendors who produce the same food day after day to the exact flavours, and you giggle in understanding as Timms scrambles around Delhi to gather ingredients for a single dish.

And along with the author, you feel a sense of wonder about your own extraordinary yet commonplace food traditions. Timms writes:

I looked hard at the ‘kitchen’. How did such a divine dish come from such unpromising surroundings? How did that threadbare old man tossing dough manage to produce perfect flaky pastry in temperatures which fluctuate from zero to fifty degrees, when everyone from Auguste Fauchon to Nigella Lawson knows that you can only make good pastry if your kitchen, ingredients and hands are constantly as cool as a slab of marble?

Serving fresh

Timms has brought a fresh perspective to Indian street food. Street food is no more just the common man’s daily fare (cheap and delicious), but as an essential ingredient of Delhi’s diverse and historic culture.

It’s refreshing to see food writing that steps away from fancy restaurants, foreign-trained chefs, and tough-to-find ingredients. Some of the recipes in the book may never work for me (how can I get the Delhi winter in Mumbai for the perfect daulat ki chaat?), but the recipes Timms has sourced are very close to the “real thing”. (As an expert Punjabi cook, my mom agrees the kulcha recipe is as genuine as it could be).

Toward the end of the book, the central question remains—what about the mutton korma recipe? Timms hunts far and wide for the true story behind the place, and the authentic recipe. Does she find it? Now that is a question of kismet.

Laced with humour and woven with anecdotes and things quintessentially Indian, like family rivalries, filmy connections and friendly hosts, Korma Kheer and Kismet is much more than a food account.

Toward the end you do lose track of some of the characters, but the book is a delightful read and perfect for those unfamiliar with Delhi food, familiar with Delhi food, food lovers, food haters, and everyone else.

Korma, Kheer and Kismet: Five Seasons in Old Delhi

Author: Pamela Timms

Publisher: Aleph Book Company

Available on: Amazon.in

In Food

Some pickle lovin’

Speaking ChicMarch 5, 2018March 4, 2018Leave a comment

Most Indian households have a pickling tradition.

As the cold winters wither away, the sun’s rays warm the land, and raw green mangoes appear everywhere. As one of the most popular choices for an Indian pickle, the raw mangoes undergo a very thorough process to reach their final pickled state.

In my family, my aunts took up the responsibility to make spicy mango pickles.

I never saw that mysterious pickling process. I just knew it was something that took a lot of time to prep, and you had to wait a few days to eat them.

When the mango pickle was ready, I savoured the thick dark green peels and soft flesh of the mango, now completely transformed. Sometimes we had them with lunch and dinner, and sometimes with the mathis or mathris that Punjabis love. They’re a thick, flaky, brittle snack, usually salty, and they go perfectly well with pickles.

You break off a piece of the mathi, dip it into the pickle, then quickly push it into your mouth so the oils of the pickle don’t drip. Then you let the pickle’s juices flow and you bite into the mathi.

This was one of my favourite snacks as a child.

But some time in my 20s, I went on a health streak. And Indian pickles went struck off my list of approved foods.

Why?

They were too oily, too greasy, contained too much salt, and were generally extremely unhealthy. At that point, I completely stopped eating those beloved pickles. And frankly, if I wanted to cheat and unhealthy things, there were a gazillion other things to choose from, like chocolates and French fries and pizzas.

Around five years ago, I read The Beauty Diet by Shonali Sabherwal (you can read more on her website).

I loved her explanations of different types of food and their effects on our bodies. Among other things, she introduced me to the toxicity of sugar, the importance of whole grains (jowar, bajra, rajgira) and how to eat a balanced, well-rounded, satisfying meal. One of the crucial elements she recommends: pickle.

No kidding.

Of course, I was surprised by that. But then Shonali wrote about quick pickles and stressed that pickles don’t always need to be oily or salty or spicy, and don’t always need weeks to be ready.

A couple years ago, I had a leftover carrot in my refrigerator and I looked up a quick pickle recipe online. The result was a bright and beautiful carrot pickle, steeped in flavour.

And thanks to that by-chance experiment, I re-found my lost love for pickles!

Too much oil and salt is generally a bad idea, but a quick pickle can taste just as good.

Even in ayurvedic principles of eating, having quick pickles with your meals is advocated. Even nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar recommends pickles (more in this story from Outlook).

Pickles are fermented and are said to be good for gut bacteria because they function work as probiotics. Whatever your reason, pickles made the right way can be good for us. I can vouch for this—I felt quite good when I had pickles with my lunch. I especially felt fuller much longer than usual.

Last week, I tried this quick pickle recipe with cauliflower that was errr… super quick (obviously!), easy and super flexible. I used a bit of regular white vinegar with very little apple cider vinegar, a sprinkle of turmeric (for colour) and a threw in a few pieces of star anise to the jar.

In just a couple of hours, my cauliflower pickle had a delightful sweet-sourish flavour, and the star anise gave it a subtle kick.

But here is a version of another quick pickle recipe I’ve tried a couple times, written by the lovely Madhur Jaffrey. The result is always super delicious.

Note:

Since I have a refined sugar-free kitchen, I used local jaggery (gur).

Be careful with the amount of spices and vinegar you use because the flavours of the spices are quite strong.

Quick Mixed Vegetable Pickle

(adapted from Madhur Jaffrey’s recipe).

Ingredients

3 tbsp jaggery (cane sugar)

150ml cider vinegar (you can use lesser)

100ml extra virgin olive oil (or a vegetable oil you like)

1-2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

1 tsp finely grated fresh ginger

400g small cauliflower florets

5 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 5cm pieces

225g baby turnips, peeled and halved

2 tsp whole brown mustard seeds, ground in a clean coffee grinder

2 tsp salt

a mixture of 1 tsp chilli powder and 1½ tsp bright red paprika (I use only chill powder)

½ tsp garam masala

Method

Heat a small pan on low flame, and add the jaggery and vinegar. Stir occasionally till the jaggery dissolves. Then turn off the heat.

Pour the oil into a large pan set over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add garlic and ginger and stir for 30 seconds.

Add the cauliflower, carrots and turnips to the pan. Stir the vegetables and cook for about a minute or until the vegetables are coated with oil but still crisp.

Get the heat down to low and add the ground mustard, salt, chilli powder and paprika mixture and garam masala. Stir and mix for a minute or two until the vegetables are coated in the spices.

Pour in the jaggery-vinegar mixture and stir. Take off the heat and allow the pickle to cool.

Transfer the pickle into one or two clean jars and place in refrigerator.

You can enjoy the pickle immediately, though it can last for up to three weeks in the fridge.

In Food

Lessons from a cooking disaster

Speaking ChicApril 25, 2017April 24, 2017Leave a comment

I clearly remember the first time I tried to cook something entirely on my own (no, I don’t mean instant noodles). It was a weekend, early 2014. And I had decided to make bhindi (aka okra/ ladyfinger), a simple stir fry subzi to go with rotis.

I had no recipe, so I texted an aunt for help. She mentioned something like “Add this, then add masalas, then cook…” and so on and so forth. I had to text her again and ask, “Which masalas?”. Then I had to crosscheck their pictures online with the spices I already had in the kitchen.

Yep, I was that much of a cooking noob.

(BTW, this my sweet potato and spaghetti casserole. Doesn’t look like a newbie dish, does it?)

So I started my first kitchen foray all gung ho and super excited. I washed and chopped the ladyfinger, sliced onions, then turned on the heat, and began the actual cooking.

And I did everything right, just like my aunt had said. Or at least I thought I did.

At the “Iet it cook for some time” step, I left the pan unattended to do some other chores. I was away for just a few minutes. When I came back, the ladyfinger was sticking to the pan.

“Uh oh, they’re getting burnt,” I thought, and then I sought out to use my highly-developed common sense to rectify it.

I added water, of course.

Now, if you know how to cook ladyfinger, you may also know that adding water to ladyfinger spells disaster. Not the “Oh-I-spilt-some-milk” sort of disaster. But Gulf of Mexico oil spill disaster. Adding water to the Indian ladyfinger while cooking is a catastrophic mistake.

And so… The dish became all stringy and icky and looked like a giant lump of goop. I ruined the first dish I ever cooked.

But I also tasted it. The balance of flavours was perfect, but the texture was slimy and it the little pieces of ladyfinger were as scary-looking as Medusa’s head.

Of course I was upset. I cried. But then… I tried cooking the same dish a few days later. Did NOT add water.

And the result?

Success.

What a relief that was.

Lesson learnt: Ask the right questions. Do your homework. And yes, don’t be afraid to make mistakes.

Since then, I haven’t let my kitchen disasters get my morale down. I learnt my lessons. And I’m glad I did.

(Here’s an attempt at broccoli soup. Still not perfect!)

And I’ve been learning new lessons every time I go to the kitchen.

But from all the amazing, crucial, important and significant tips, tricks and hacks I’ve learnt about cooking, the most significant ones have been those that I apply to my life as well.

I don’t necessarily live to cook, and I don’t cook every day, but it’s an important part of my life now. I’m proud that I can feed myself, wherever I am.

What has cooking taught you?

In Fashion, Food

Friday Films: Chutney and La La Land for food and fashion

Speaking ChicJanuary 20, 2017January 18, 2017Leave a comment

Food Film: Chutney

An extra marital affair, small town gossip, an annoyed domestic help and a seemingly-innocent housewife are blended expertly to create the intriguing story of Chutney. As the special chutney recipe is revealed, the home-grown green chillies are not the only secret ingredient we discover. Tisca Chopra’s performance is stellar as she shares her recipe and narrates a sinister tale. Meanwhile, I’m craving samosas with spicy chutney.

Watch Chutney here if you haven’t seen it already.

Fashion film: La La Land

La La Land is a delightful musical journey. Even several days after watching the film I couldn’t get City of Stars out of my head. Aside from the breath-taking view of Griffith Observatory and the Hermosa Beach pier, I was taking mental notes on the costumes. There was none of the sloppy-but-standard jeans and tee combos for the sweethearts. Emma Stone’s chic and flattering dresses in solid yellow, blue, peach and green have given me major fashion goals, while Ryan Gosling’s always-dapper look should hopefully inspire gentlemanly dressing.

In Food, Recipe

The Quinoa Debut

Speaking ChicJuly 26, 2016July 25, 2016Leave a comment

Life in Yangon is good. I’ve been in beautiful Myanmar (aka Burma) for 13 months now and each passing day I learn new things about the people, their culture, their religion, their beliefs, their beauty secrets, their ideology…

The isolation from Mumbai has been an eye-opener. I didn’t know I took so many things for granted back home, from the city’s crazy but robust public transport to the easy access to great food to the sheer convenience of grocery shopping. The first couple of months here in Yangon were a struggle to put food on the plate. Though S and I had stuffed our suitcases with essential ingredients, we still had dozens of things we couldn’t carry. Where can I buy dal? What about pav? Do we get curry leaves here? What about cumin seeds? The unfamiliar wet market, the cluttered supermarkets with so much foodstuff yet so little for me (dried shrimp and pickled fish aren’t my thing), and, of course, the language barrier, were a bit too much to handle.

But once I got confident with my language skills, I began exploring the market and local stores, and things began to look up. I found curry leaves at the neighbourhood market. S found a pav seller. The local supermarket began stocking most types of dal! I even found fresh tamarind and jaggery (Myanmar jaggery is yum!).

Now that I know where to find the most essential ingredients, I can breathe easy. You’d think I’m all set now.

But no, I have a terrible itch. The itch to try different things. The itch to visit an unseen country, to sample an untried cuisine, to learn a strange language, to cook a new dish…

So I signed up for a cooking class run by a lovely Australian woman here to learn shortcrust pastry and later baked a delicious rustic pie! I observed Myanmar-style salads and prepared some at home—trust me, they give a new meaning to the word “salad”. In summer, I tried making mango shrikhand without sugar, and succeeded. When Mom visited, I insisted she teach me malai kofta.

Last month, I was ready to try some new things in the kitchen. But a severe muscular spasm in my neck knocked me out and I couldn’t cook for several weeks. I visited Mumbai to see a doctor and get the treatment started. And, foodie that I am, I seized the opportunity to get my hands on some new things—such as a half-kilo box of quinoa.

I’d once used a packet of Lemon & Herb quinoa (or something similar) someone had gifted me. I needed to prepare it like any instant food (like packaged noodles). But the quinoa didn’t cook at all. Maybe I did something wrong? Either ways, I felt like such an idiot that I banished the incident to the “cooking failures” folder in my brain, never to be accessed.

But now, I’m a bit more confident of my culinary skills. And after the long break from cooking, I was hoping to try something new. Quinoa was fresh on my mind, and so began the hunt for a great recipe.

Despite my neck pain acting as an irritating companion, I wanted to make a complete meal, not just a snack or “light meal”. So I decided to debut my quinoa experiments with wraps.

It didn’t all go smoothly. I underestimated the cooking time at first, then I ended up with more quinoa than expected. No harm done though. Halfway through cooking I realized that the dish was becoming a mix mishmash of several cooking styles and flavours. I mean, hummus with herb-seasoned veggies? Wrapped in a South American flatbread? What was I doing?

But when I had the first bite with some vegan mayonnaise (yes, that’s a real thing), the elements fit together beautifully. S did a taste test and gave it a thumbsup.

Phew. All’s well that ends well.

Anyhoo, a bit about the recipe: The original recipe suggests cooking quinoa with the vegetables, but I decided to cook them separately because I wasn’t sure about cooking time and didn’t want to end up with mushy veggies and raw quinoa. It was wholesome, nutritious, delicious and hearty lunch! I used whole wheat tortillas from a local bakery.

Quinoa Debut Wraps

Ingredients

For the quinoa and vegetables:

1 cup quinoa (uncooked)

1 tsp chopped garlic

1 medium onion, chopped

1-2 green chillies, finely chopped

1 bell pepper/ capsicum (any colour), chopped

1 small carrot, chopped

1 tomato, chopped (or use a handful of cherry tomatoes instead)

A handful of corn (aka American corn)

1-1.5 tsp mixed seasoning (I used a readymade seasoning- you can use whatever you like: Italian, Mexican, Middle Eastern, or a mix of your favourite Indian masalas)

Salt to taste

Juice of half a lemon

Small handful of chopped coriander leaves

Other vegetable possibilities: Zucchini and french beans

For the wraps:

4 whole wheat tortillas

4 tbsp of your favourite spread (any type of hummus or sandwich spread will do)

Method:

Wash quinoa well, then soak for five minutes in a pot. Drain the water, add two cups water to the quinoa (the ratio of quinoa to water is always 1:2). Put the pot on the stove and bring to a boil, then lower heat and let it cook covered.

While the quinoa is cooking, heat oil in a pan, then add garlic and onion, sauté for a minute. Then add the green chillies and cook for few seconds.

Add the vegetables to the pan with your seasoning or spice mix and a little water. Mix well, and cook for some time, stirring often and adding water if needed. The vegetables should soften a bit, but not lose their crunch. This could take anywhere from five to ten minutes.

When done, switch off the flame. Squeeze in the lemon juice and mix coriander leaves with the vegetables.

Meanwhile, drain the cooked quinoa. You know the quinoa is cooked when it’s soft and it seems to have “sprouted”. Keep it covered for five minutes, then uncover and let it cool.

Assembling the wraps:

Mix the cooked vegetables with the quinoa.

Dab some of your spread on a cooked tortilla, then add the quinoa-veggie mixture in a straight line across the middle. Roll it up and voila! Your quinoa wrap is ready.

Serve with a light dip of your choice.

PS—This recipe is vegan.

In Food

An ode to Myanmar’s magnificent mangoes

Speaking ChicMay 21, 2016Leave a comment

There’s nothing better than a burst of sweetness in your mouth. Sweetness that’s like fresh breeze on a hot summer day, a taste so wonderful that it enthralls your taste buds and fills your heart with joy. It’s a treat that you wish will linger forever.

Such divine sweetness does exist, and I bet you’re thinking Alphonso, Alphonso, Alphonso.

I grew up eating dozens of Alphonso mangoes every week in summer. My maternal grandmother bought (no, hoarded) several boxes and force-fed the mangoes to everyone at home or anyone who dropped by. On a typical summer day, we had Alphonso mangoes at breakfast with mango milkshake, chopped Alphonso mangoes after almost every meal, then Alphonso with ice cream or whipped cream, or mango yoghurt-based cheesecake for dessert.

And outside the home, there were more mangoes to be had. Restaurants, ice cream parlours and mithai shops across Mumbai would be flooded with seasonal mango delicacies like the Gujarati-style aamras with deep-fried puris (mango pulp with deep-fried Indian bread) or mango shrikhand (strained yoghurt dessert). Oh, and the super sweet mango mishti doi (fermented sweet yoghurt). Or the subtly-flavoured mango sandesh (cheese-based confectionery).

So yes, I’d had hundreds, perhaps thousands, of Alphonso mangoes in the first two-odd decades of my existence. After my grandmother passed away a few years ago, our memories of her fondness for mangoes stayed on. But the sweet essence of Alphonso mangoes seemed to rescind into the past as well. The flavour has changed from sweet to weirdly-sweet-and-bit-sour, and they got more juice and less pulp. I lost interest in Alphonso mangoes.

It was with a heavy heart that I privately acknowledged a shocking fact about myself a couple years ago: I just didn’t like Alphonso mangoes anymore. And mangoes in general didn’t beckon to me anymore.

Last June, S and I discovered Sein Ta Lone mangoes in a Yangon fruit market. I wasn’t too keen on trying them. I mean, how can any mango beat an Alphonso?

But I tried it anyway. Turns out Myanmar’s gorgeous Sein Ta Lone mango is at least a gazillion times better than the Ratnagiri Alphonso.

I fell in love at first bite. Sein Ta Lone mangoes are a perfect hue of orange and gold, they’re juicy and pulpy, wonderfully aromatic, with a smooth non-fibrous texture, and, of course, richly, delightfully, gloriously sweet. Each bite is pure heaven.

Grown around Myanmar, these mangoes are fleeting visitors in local fruit markets—they’re available for only two months a year (April to June). The name is just as beautiful – sein means diamond and ta lone means one piece. So Sein Ta Lone is the precious diamond solitaire of fruits.

What an apt name.

These mangoes don’t cost as much as a diamond of course, but are still fairly expensive (by Myanmar standards). A high-quality Sein Ta Lone mango weighing 300 to 400 grams will cost around 400-600 kyats per piece. (That’s between 35 and 55 cents for a mango). But they’re totally worth the indulgence if you have the means.

The Sein Ta Lones are so sweet that I made mango chutney at home, bottled it all up, gave some to friends, and sold some as well. The best thing: the chutney is sweet, but I didn’t need to put any sugar in it. 😀

Besides the Sein Ta Lone, Myanmar has several other delicious varieties of mangoes as well, and many fall off trees on to the streets of Yangon. I’ve seen people around Yangon picking them up and taking them home to eat. What a delight!

After decades of being cut off from rest of the world, Myanmar has thousands of secrets unknown to the world and these divine fruits are one of them. I can’t imagine summers without Sein Ta Lone mangoes anymore.

In Fashion, Food, Shopping, Travel, travel

Earth-friendly fashion, food and travel

Speaking ChicApril 29, 2016April 28, 2016Leave a comment

Last week was Earth Day. I usually don’t pay much attention to such “days” because most of them are mere eyewash, but Earth Day got me thinking. Can I really make a difference in building a better future for a greener planet?

I assessed my passions (fashion, food and travel) and I figured- sure, I can make an impact, and quickly sat down to make a rough list. At the end of an hour, I re-read the list and scratched out a few unfeasible ideas. But a handful of practical and pragmatic earth-friendly ideas survived. An inner voice said, “Hey, this can work!” So I decided to take the list public and share it with you all.

Here goes:

Fashion

Shop within a limit. And I don’t mean your credit card limit. Plan your shopping and decide what you need to buy before you head to the mall. Even with just a dozen tops and half a dozen pants, you can be trendy and stylish. Sure, end of season sales are tempting and a wonderful excuse to buy the orange top or pink dress on your wishlist, but do you really need Blouse No. 52 in your wardrobe? Instead, do a thorough wardrobe cleanse over a long weekend, then only add new clothes and accessories to replace an older one that’s worn out.

Recycle and reuse. I’ve been hearing this mantra for years now, but never followed it. Late 2014, I reused my mom’s wedding dupatta with a new ensemble and made a modern-looking blouse to match her traditional sari, I realized that this formula works. You can transform a large silk scarf into a top or stitch neutral-coloured sari blouses to wear with well-preserved saris. Besides, you get bragging rights to declare, “I’m wearing vintage!”

Buy locally-made clothes. Here’s how the supply chain of most fast fashion brands (like Zara) usually work: Clothes are manufactured in Country A, then sent to home country and dispatched around the world. Or the garments are shipped directly to warehouses or stores in Countries B, C, D and so on. Working on tight deadlines and short turnaround times, manufacturers often dispatch the merchandise via air. With hundreds of manufacturers and dozens of countries, you can imagine the amount of emissions a single brand’s business could generate. A simple thumb rule (broad generalization): the shorter the distance a garment travels, the more planet-friendly it is likely to be in terms of emissions. Buying clothes made in another part of the world may often be the easier (read: cheaper) option, but do try to opt for a local brand when possible. India has dozens of clothing and accessories brands that source and manufacture locally. “Made in India” seems appealing, doesn’t it?

Buy good quality clothes and accessories. You bought a cute pair of chappals from Linking Road and a stylish cotton kurta from Lajpat market for a steal. Both get worn out in a few months. And so you want to buy new chappals and another cotton kurta. Instead, how about you pay a bit more and buy chappals and a kurta that last longer? This way you generate less waste and save money in the long run. Think of each purchase as an investment of sorts, and calculate the returns in terms of how long it will make you happy. True, better quality may often mean more strain on your wallet, but when you’re buying fewer clothes and shopping less often, the extra bucks you spend are actually working to save you money in the future.

Food

Eat local produce as much as you can. Of course, that’s not always possible. You don’t get great India-made feta or miso paste, but local fruits and vegetables are always the freshest and have travelled much shorter distances to reach you. Besides, seasonal fruits and vegetables are often delicious. So, if you have a choice, buy local.

Carry your own shopping bag. A cloth or jute bag or locally made basket is super handy in the market. My granny had gifted my mom couple of hand-woven baskets several years ago which she still uses. Myanmar has some lovely woven baskets as well, and I’ve bought not one, but two of them!

Use cloth instead of plastic and paper. Replace kitchen tissue with cloth towels to dry pots, pans and plates in the kitchen, or wipe your hands. There are some “highly absorbent” options which you can use for several days before throwing them for a wash. (Yes, I use just such a towel!). And oh, I prefer to use a handkerchief instead of paper tissue.

Reuse (yes, again!). I saw bamboo straws in Cambodia, and regret not buying them. They were reusable and very cute! Conscious foodies often carry reusable cutlery such as forks and chopsticks instead of using the disposable ones found in takeaway joints or fast food restaurants.

Travel

Use public transport. This one’s a no-brainer. And besides, if you’re using a local bus or public ferry you’ll get a better feel of local life. Better still, cycle around town.

Carry a reusable water bottle. Invest in a sturdy good-sized water bottle. In several countries, you can fill up your bottle with tap water (especially across Europe) or from a water dispenser in airports or malls. I carry my reusable water bottle all the time- when I’m going shopping or to a movie, so I’m not tempted to buy water or cold drinks, usually sold in paper cups, tin cans or plastic bottles. Besides reducing possible wastage, I avoid the extra calories in cold drinks. 🙂

Avoid takeaway. Takeaway meals are usually packed in plastic bags and cutlery, thermocol boxes and disposable plastic boxes for sauces etc. Instead, try to relax and enjoy your meal at the restaurant. You’ll savour the food experience a lot more.

Book online. And don’t print your ticket, if it isn’t required. Save it on your phone or tablet instead. There are several museums, airlines, theatres, trains and other touristy places that don’t need a paper ticket. We once travelled in an overnight train from Rome to Palermo with the ticket on our iPad without a problem. And when I booked a ticket on the IRCTC website from Vapi to Mumbai, all the TT asked for was my ID proof. Most hotels are fine with electronic booking vouchers as well.

Carry e-copies. When my mother and I first travelled abroad in the late 1990s, we were advised to carry multiple copies of our passports, visas and tickets in case something went wrong. Now we save the scanned copies of our documents on email and in our phone’s photo gallery, so it’s accessible even without an internet connection. Do the same. Save paper and ink!

Stay earth-friendly and chic!