Beauteous Teesta

Some journeys are forever etched in your memories for various reasons…this was one of them. Everything was planned in haste or rather you can say the tour organizer planned it for us and we didn’t even get the time to properly read about the places before we started our journey. This is definitely not the way I usually plan my trips. Every trip is meticulously planned, reviews of hotels are re-read and finalized, spreadsheets are created to tally the cost and so on. None of that happened this time and yet it became one of the most memorable trips. It’s true that sometimes unplanned surprises are more special and leave lingering memories. The fascinating and mystical land of Sikkim beckoned us with open arms.


Day 1: Sealdah (Kolkata)  to New Jalpaiguri
The Uttar Banga express was to leave Sealdah at 7:30 PM. We took the 5:30 PM local train from Dum Dum cantonment to Sealdah. This was a faster option than taking a cab which had risk of getting stuck in traffic for hours especially since it was a weekday. We reached Sealdah in 20 minutes flat. Deliberately we had kept our luggage to necessary minimum so that our mobility increases. Still walking down to platform no 9A was a tedious task. We did what everyone does, ask the wheelers on which platform the train usually arrives and went there. It was almost a 2 hours wait and this part of the Sealdah station didn’t have anything unlike Howrah station for passing our time. Neither were there enough sitting benches. For the first time in my life I placed newspaper on the platform and sat down comfortably on the platform and that set the mood for the adventure that we were about to embark on.

The cold was slowly creeping in as the sun went down. We bought steaming tea from a chaiwalla which complimented our chit chat perfectly. Soon it was time for the train and as luck would have it the train was coming on a different platform. Everyone started to scurry and there was a lot of commotion all around. Also on that day swarms of Mohammedans had gathered on the platform, we heard that they had come to attend a Party meeting and now returning. They added to the sea of passengers and made things more difficult.

Teesta

Finally we reached the designated platform huffing and puffing just as the train chugged into the station. Usually the doors are kept ajar once the train is in but due to the huge party people crowd that day doors of reserved compartments were opened only when they settled down. Finally we found our seats and settled down. Most of the passengers were going small distances; there was one girl in the compartment who was traveling overnight like us. Both of us got along as a house on fire and as time progressed we found we had many common interests. We talked on photography, nature, paintings, story writing, pets, food and what not. She even made me read one of her ghost short stories. It was a perfect Bengali adda. All in all there was never a dull moment. We had got roti, baigan bharta and nolen gurer sondesh for dinner. The combo was finger-licking good – ghar ka khana on train, a good company and excitement of what lay ahead. We wanted to chat the night away but other passengers wanted to sleep so unwillingly we called it a day.

Day 2: NJP to Gangtok
I was awake at dawn break somewhat due to excitement and more because it was getting very cold in the compartment as we neared NJP. It was a foggy sleepy morning outside. The landscape looking like a freshly painted canvas; the grass was still wet from the dew. Slowly everyone got up on by one. We freshened up, had a cup of coffee and got ready for our arrival. After exchanging contact details, we bade goodbye to our train friend who was supposed to get down at Dhupguri, which was an hour’s distance from NJP.

It was only when we got down on platform 1A and greeted by the biting cold winds which made our bones rattle literally, we realized our journey has begun! We immediately called our pick up cab and headed towards the exit. The NJP station was a relatively clean station with modernization like escalators at the entry/exit points. The taxi stand has a lot of cabs/shuttles for the tourists.

Teesta on Way

For going to Gangtok from West Bengal one requires a vehicle having Sikkim registration. It took us some time to locate the cab driver, mainly because he was speaking broken Hindi/English, and it was difficult to make him understand our location. Quite a few hiccups later finally I managed to locate him. By then I was feeling a bit frustrated thinking if this was a start then we would have to face a lot of language problem throughout our trip which would really be a damper. But soon Amit Chetri, our driver proved us wrong and played a patient guide all throughout the journey. He even cracked a few jokes at times.

Tapri Near Road block

On Way

We had started from NJP at around 7.30 AM and it was going to take almost 4.5 hours to reach Gangtok. As time progressed slowly we left behind the concrete jungle and entered a dense jungle of Shal. It was a military area and Bison reserve, reminded us of the Jaldapara trip few years back. Soon we saw what we were eagerly waiting for – the beauteous and magnificent Teesta. The majestic river kept us company for the major part of our journey. The deep turquoise waters were painting an ethereal landscape; sometimes flowing silent and sometimes creating milky rapids along its way. We saw a few boards proclaiming about river rafting and a few rafts by the roadside but no one was actually seen rafting, maybe because it was too cold for water sports at this time of the year. We saw roads being broadened at many places on the way. The best thing we observed during our entire Gangtok trip was that the drivers of this part of the world maintained lane and driving discipline to the T.  Through there were no traffic signals to tell them who should get the priority, always the downward moving traffic was given the way. There was a point before Melli bazaar, where we were stuck for an hour due to roadwork. Amit informed us that everyday for a couple of hours they close this stretch for roadwork. We got down from the cab and soaked in the view outside, some tourist were taking snaps of the Teesta, a vendor was selling “poori- aloo dum” to the waiting tourists. Once cleared we continued our journey and crossed Melli, a small hilly hamlet. There are a number of small bridges connecting adjacent mountains on way. We also saw the newly painted fuchsia Coronation Bridge, a sharp contrast to the dark green backdrop of the mountains.


2 Kms from Melli we stopped for breakfast at a roadside restaurant named “Chetri’s Hotel”. We were very hungry and cold from all this traveling. As we stepped down from the cab we realized the mercury had dipped a good 3-4 degrees from NJP, the wind was freezing us. We ambled into the farthest corner of the restaurant hoping for a warm corner which was not to be. I was on the lookout to try chicken momo but maximum restaurants in Sikkim only serve veg stuffs, rarely you would chance upon a place serving non-veg. The Steamed vegetable momos and coffee, that we ordered was served in a jiffy. A sip of the creamy coffee and we found back some life in our freezing bodies. I was a bit apprehensive about how the veg momos would be but they were the bestest veg momos I have ever tasted in the world. The perfectly boiled and seasoned vegetables with a subtle hint of ginger and lemongrass was finger-licking good. We easily gorged on 8 momos each (Rs. 30/plate).

Well fed and happy we continued on our journey crossing Sevok bridge, Singtam, and small towns on way. We crossed Rongpo checkpost where they simple asked from where we were coming. As we made our entry into Sikkim leaving behind Bengal border the terrain became more and more beautiful. Verdant meadows, wildflowers here and there, remnants of mountain falls, passing clouds, quaint cottages and beautiful local people dotted the entire landscape. Teesta gurgled along with us all through. We sighted the picturesque Manipal Institute in the valley below encircled by Teesta river. The place was so heavenly I wonder how students manage to study and not just stare out of the window! The numerous curves and bends were making me a bit dizzy (I have motion sickness) and I don’t know when I had dozed off; when I woke we were almost nearing the city of Gangtok. Numerous houses and hotels adorned the slope of the mountain. Gangtok city looks very pretty even though there are many buildings and hotels on both side of the road. Pretty fenced sidewalks, glitzy branded retail outlets, serpentine main road through the heart of the city, gorgeous ladies and handsome guys enjoying afternoon walks – it would suddenly feel like you are in any American downtown, only more beautiful that it.


We had to take a local cab from market as the designated cab was big to go into the town. The cabbie quoted Rs.150 for a 2 km journey. We had to oblige as we were tired and wanted to reach the hotel as soon as possible. We had a bit of trouble locating the hotel Green Park. Direction says its in front of Tamang Gumpha, but we didn’t see nay hoarding of the hotel name in front of it. After asking a few finally a boy came out from a green coloured building and said that was the hotel. The cabbie started scolding him for not putting a board outside for which he said the storm a couple of days ago had blown away the board which they didn’t fix yet. Interesting start of the stay indeed!

Rangpo Check Post  & Manipal University

The reception was deserted. Two teenaged nepali boys came and took our luggage while a portly man came up from basement and politely informed us about the stay and food options. We were the only boarders in the hotel at that time which was why we could get a nice view room without any hassle. The room had a window opening towards the valley and a small verandah. The bathroom was pretty neat and clean which made me happy. Carpeted flooring and enough blankets were provided. All the three people manning the hotel were very amicable and looked to our needs. We ordered fish curry, rice, dal and fried potato for lunch. By the time we bathed and got ready lunch was ready which was served in the room. The mountain air had made up super hungry. Post lunch we took a short nap and then decided to visit M.G.Marg as we didn’t have any more planned outings that day.

View from Hotel Balcony

We took a shared cab from outside the hotel (Rs. 10/per person). In Gangtok, there is no auto running in the city, cabs run on sharing basis. The people all over Sikkim are very friendly and polite. A passenger inside the cab gave us details of how to reach M.G Marg.

M.G.Marg at the heart of Gnagtok is the most happening place of the city. The 1 KM stretch of road is completely vehicle free. It has bar, shops and hotels on either side of the road. It’s the best place to hang out in the evening with your friends and loved ones. Beautiful flower garden, statues, wooden benches and
hanging flower pots adore along the center of the road. The day we visited, Aids awareness week was being celebrated and a function was held on one side of the road. The rendering of the young artists were very melodious and a huge young crowd was enjoying the function without any commotion. Evening was stepping in slowly, glittering lights all around and the soulful music mixing with the chilly air was so relaxing. We kept walking along the street occasionally stopping at a shop or two to look at the Tibetian and Sikkimese goodies or fancy woolens. I cannot help mentioning that the young ladies were very pretty with an amazing dressing sense. You would feel like you are watching a rampwalk all around. We entered into on of the Memento shop and it was like we were inside a curio shop. Cute Chinese dolls, Dragon wall hangings, Japanese hand fans, replica prayer wheels, Tibetian soup bowls, Thangkas and what not. We bought a lot of gifts for our friends and families. It was almost 6 PM by the time we finished shopping. But it was pitch dark outside like it was 9 PM. The mercury had dipped further and we were shivering instead of the heavy winterwear we had. We decided to buy a small bottle of Brandy just in case it’s required at night. Gangtok is a tax free place for alcohol. We got a musk flavoured small bottle of Brandy and decided to head home. As we walked towards the shared taxi stand we noticed that the roads were almost deserted, it was feeling like midnight of any metropolitan city.

M.G. Marg in Evening

Fortunately we found a cab soon which dropped us in front of our hotel. We ordered for some Coffee and onion fritters and retired to our rooms. The coffee and fritters were so good. After this we went to the balcony and saw Gangtok city glitter like thousand fireflies below though we couldn’t stand there for more than 2 minutes due to the icy winds. It was terribly cold by then and we had to keep triple layering of winterwear and still cover ourselves with the quilts and sit in the room. The people in this part of the world had a very early end of the day and rose early. So we had dinner by 8:30 PM which was still late by their standard. Fish curry never tasted so good. After a while we also called it a day. Sightseeing was going to being next day onwards.

To Be Continued...

First of all wish you all a very happy new year 2014!

After a long time I am back on my blog. The month of December has been quite hectic and eventful. Office work had kept me busy in the first half and in the second half of the month I was vacationing in Kolkata. I have a lot to write about my trip back home but that will have to wait for my next blog. Anyway I am now catching up on all the things that have happened in the blogspace since last month.

Of late I have been very engrossed in Google plus posting recipes, reading a plethora of recipes from far and wide, making new acquaintances who are themselves super innovative chefs and realizing that G+ is the in thing if you really want to reach out to meaningful people with a common interest. I never knew Tetor Macher Jhol - the very unassuming fare from a Bengali household could stir up so many intriguing comments especially from people living on the other part of the world. Their genuineness is so touching when they ask questions about the recipe that I feel humbled and happy at the same time. After I posted my Dak-bungalow Chicken Curry recipe over there a fellow blogger wanted me to share more recipes from the time of the Raj since his wife had forefathers who served the British east India Company.

Frankly speaking I have only heard and read about the old times when the foundation of modern India was being laid and a revolution was taking place in the Kitchens of this country - mélange of Indian flavors and British tastes. Thus was born a hybrid cuisine the Anglo-Indian cuisine, probably the first example of fusion food in the world. This cuisine is mostly prepared using English spices such as Pepper, bay leaves, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, etc. Indian condiments such as chilies, cumin, coriander, turmeric, ginger, garlic etc, are also added in moderation. Yogurt and milk are also used in certain preparations to offset extra pungency. People of my generations were not fortunate enough to taste the original recipes from the time of Raj but what we have now is somewhat the adapted version of the original ones. Adapted according to the regions and palate of the different states of India. I will still try to recreate traces of the culinary history associated with the recipe I am going to write about today.

The Railways were a way of life during the days of the British Raj. Travelling First class was an experience in itself. The Burma teak cabins , plush interiors, classic railway cuisine, the servers in perfectly starched uniforms serving lunch to the sahibs – everything about a train journey was nothing short of collecting a bagful of memories, each unique from the other. Bengal,  the first stronghold of British rule, was heavily influenced by English cuisine. Many British families in India hired local cooks, and through them discovered local foods. The spiciness of foods had to be toned down or modified to suit the palates of the 'memsahibs'. Very distinct influence is seen in the desserts, some of which were created specifically to satisfy the British – most notably the very popular sweet Leđikeni named after the first Vicereine Lady Canning. The other most popular remnants of that era is the Railway Mutton curry, which earned its name because it was served on the first class dining carriages.

As a kid I remember travelling to Darjelling in First class compartment with the entire gamut of relatives. My Mashi (aunt) used to stay in Darjelling with her family at that time as Mesho was posted there as a doctor. My Grandpa served as a doctor in the Railways for which he got First class passes. This first class was nothing like that of the British era but was definitely different and plush from the present day first class coaches. There were no aisle seats and there was a sliding door for each coup which ensured complete privacy. The first travel happened when I was some 5 year old and something really funny happened. We were some 10 odd people travelling together including  couple of kids so it goes without saying that there was never a dull moment. I remember we had got home cooked food in the big 3 tier tiffin carriers. At dinner time a newspaper would be spread out and everyone would be handed out steel plates on which the food which would consist of Daal, rice, a vegetable and a sweet would be served.  Post dinner we went to bed and were lulled to sleep by the swaying of the moving train.  The next morning I was woken up by mom. Reluctantly I followed her to the bathroom to brush. After cleaning me up she told me to walk down to our coupe which was quite near to the bathroom while she would finish brushing. Super confidently I started walking back, the third coup from bathroom was supposed to be ours. I entered the third and saw that everyone was asleep head to toe covered in quilt. Even my mom’s berth was occupied. When I left to brush I clearly remembered that granny and grandpa were already up, my other mashis (aunts) were up and preparing the beds and the kids were being woken up by their moms. How come within ten minutes everyone went back to sleep? Suspiciously I called out one of my Mashi’s name, the brush held firmly in my hands. No one answered. I was about to call once more when I felt someone tugging at my hands. I looked back to see the same Mashi whose name I was calling. She asked me what I was doing there in someone else’s coup. I realized the mix up and thanked my stars that no one woke up. Later on this story was reiterated a number of times to everyone adding all sorts of spice and tart. Poor me!

Train journeys had always been memorable for me, even the local train ones. The array of snacks that were sold during the journey was something I always looked forward to. Jhalmuri  with a slice of Coconut(puffed rice medley), veg-cutlet, mochar-chop (banana flower cutlet), chana chat (spicy chickpea) , ghughni,  tok jhal misti toffees (sweet & tart candies), chine badam beetnun diye (peanuts with black salt), seddho dim (boiled eggs), shal patae mora tatshaas (fruit of Palmyra Palm) etc. Not only the food but the chit-chat of the passengers, folk songs sung by the beggars, the passing paddy fields and different character of each station made up for a colorful experience. Before I digress more talking about train journeys coming back to the dish I am supposed to talk about.

Railway Mutton curry is a toned down version of the classic mutton curry (Manghor Jhol), with coconut milk diluting the spices and served with rice, bread or dinner rolls. Vinegar was added to the mix of mutton and potatoes to increase the durability of the meat during long journeys. The curry was not too spicy keeping in mind the delicate palates of the British. Though the dish originated in the colonial times it continued to be served in railway refreshment rooms and on long distance trains till much later.

When I searched the net I found quite a few variations of the recipe which is a clear indication of the train routes on which they were served. Coconut milk, tamarind and curry leaves were used in the recipe followed in Southern Railways. Whereas the northern and eastern railways adapted a recipe minus these. Sandeepa’s recipe (Bong Mom Cookbook) adapted from Pritha Sen’s recipe was the one I liked among all the others because of the presence of fennel seeds. Mutton and fennel seeds go hand in hand and I love the flavor a lot.

So here’s the recipe.

The winter season is creeping in fast in this part of the country. Today when I woke up and looked out of the window I saw nothing, I mean just a white blur of nothingness. I rubbed my eyes assuming I was still dreaming. But yet I see the same. All the quaint pastel colored red roofed buildings, the perfectly manicured green lawns, the bright orange cosmos blossoms,  the neatly tarred path through our housing society even the huge open amphitheater that was there till last night till we went to bed had simply vanished. Poof! It took some time to register that a thick wall of mist was staring back at me which was so dense that the visibility was reduced to a few feet merely. I was pretty surprised realizing it since just two days back we had heavy rains in outskirts of Pune and till yesterday morning we didn’t have any trace of morning mist let alone this thick wall of blob. I went out to the balcony to take snaps. My D90 was struggling to focus as it sensed the object in front too near due to the flowing mist. It was pretty chilly outside and felt like we were in Darjeeling where it’s very common to be kissed by the clouds and mist in the morning. A charming start to the day indeed!

A cup of Tea & the Foggy Morning

On such a cold morning whats more rewarding experience than a mug of freshly made warm, comforting and mildly sweet chai. So delicate and beautiful – the color of the tea looks like liquid amber. Tea is such an inevitable part of almost every India's life. There are people who can't start their day until they get their due cup of tea. My mom is a avid Tea drinker. From time I remember I have seen her drink tea at least thrice a day religiously - the calming one in the morning when no one woke up, a hurried one during the breakfast and one in the evening lazying around with a good book. As a kid I always dipped biscuit in her evening tea, which really irritate her because it became cold due to my constant biscuit stirring. So when I grew up a bit she used to give me a separate cup of tea in the evening. I was never fond of tea as a kid so that cup of tea was only to soak the pile of biscuits I would sit down with. Even now I am not a big fan of Tea but have a cup of raw tea during morning with a couple of cookies. Its a light snack that I have while cooking. We only have dinner at home and return very late from office so I prepare the dinner gravy in the morning itself.

For me tea always meant to be tea leaves brewed in milk and sugar. But chai with milk in it many a times resulted in heartburn. I am a bit intolerant to lactose as well. So this was one more reason I avoided tea. But strangely with coffee I didn't have this heartburn issue only felt too full. Once I started to drink raw tea and like it too. It's a habit I picked up after seeing in my in-laws home. The raw tea never gave me any issues. Tea leaves brewed in hot water and a spoon of sugar and sometimes for a change I squeeze in a wedge of lemon to vary the taste.


When I was in Atlanta I saw Starbucks introducing Chai Latte / Chai Tea which became an instant hit among the people. Americans liked the taste which was very much like masala chai. Chai Tea is such a misnomer as Chai itself means Tea in Hindi, So when you translate Chai Tea it means "Tea Tea". But then that's how its marketed in US and no one really cares whether its Tea Tea or simply Tea. Much is talked about Masala Chai. Even when you search net you will only find recipes of Masala chai only. However I am repulsed by it totally. The strong smell of cinnamon, cardamom, clove and other spices totally overwhelms the original flavor of Tea. Maybe when the flavor of tea leaves is not that exceptional all these spices are required to make it richer. But in India any good quality expensive tea whether Darjeeling, Assam or simply CTC tea have such rich and flavorful texture and taste that its a sin to mess up with the original flavor  with all those spices. Maybe a bit of Ginger is fine as its very good when taken during a cold but that's that. Creamy milk, sugar and a tea spoon of the best quality tea leaves - the magic it weaves is only felt if you taste it. Water has also a major role to play in enhancing the inner flavors of a tea leaf. I remember when we had gone to Darjeeling, mom and all my relatives became very fond of the Darjeeling tea that the maid used to make everyday. So when they returned to the plains they got many packets of the same brand of Darjeeling tea. The exact same method was used to prepare the tea and yet there was a lot to be desired in the taste. Even after trying for several times with milk or no milk when the taste could not be recreated my grandpa concluded it might be the mountain water that resulted in the brilliant taste.

Here are the two simple ways I prepare my tea.

Raw Tea :-

Raw Tea

Milk Tea :-


Today is the last day of the extended holidays for Diwali - the end of all festivities for this year. Now again looking forward to the festival time in the coming year. A pictorial roundup of Durga Puja and Diwali this year.

Diwali Lights in our Patio

The Temple at home & Diwali Rangoli

Durga Puja @ Kali Bari Khadki

Durga Puja @ Matre Bridge

July - September is the most beautiful time of the year in Maharashtra as it's monsoon season. The emerald greenery all around almost hurts the eye, its so beautiful. This year the monsoon have extended beyond September. So even around the Durga Puja we had rains. Even when we don't have rains the sky is overcast at times with mild breeze. It's on one such day that the idea of visiting the Veer Dam has loosely been discussed. Usually many such plans hatch during the weekday while we ride to the office and by the time its weekend the ideas fade into oblivion. So this time also I didn't take the plan very seriously. On a Friday night we set the alarm early as next day we were going on a ride to Veer Dam.

 So next day we woke up early but got late getting ready. We left home around 8:15 AM.  We got ready to face the morning air and the unknown that lay ahead. From Dhayari to Veer Dam it's 62 KM. From Pune we took the Satara road. About 40 kms from Pune take Pandharpur road on the left for Shirval village. This road goes along the veer dam.

The roads were pretty empty and we breezed through the ghat-like roads, small dark green rocky hills adored both sides of the road. The morning air was very cool and refreshing. Unfortunately I had not taken my helmet and the air was lashing against my face making my eyes teary. I was trying hard to look ahead instead of the strong gusty wind because I didn't want to skip any part of the landscape. 15 minutes into the road we stopped at a roadside restaurant to have breakfast. I had medu vada-chutney which was very crisp and yummy. I always found eating by the highway restaurants or dhabas very intriguing. The panoramic view of the highway, the vehicles zooming past, old movie songs playing in the small TV at the restaurant, the clanging of the utensils as the servers placed the food before the guests - everything makes you feel like you are in a time warp where everything is moving at a fervent pace except you. I enjoy that "you" moment a lot.

We started off after having breakfast. The scenery started to change slowly, green hills gave way to big blue mountains faraway.

The route from Dhayari to Veer Dam

As the city limits slowly faded away we were greeted by miles of golden orange carpet of Cosmos lazily placed over the rolling green terrain interspersed with sudden burst of bold fuchsia bougainvillea , shy white creepers and violet unknown flowers. Post monsoon many parts of Maharashtra  witnesses a heavy bloom of Cosmos, especially away from the city limits on the highways or some distant places which are not having much human habitation. I had never the faintest idea that Cosmos blossoms can look so pretty in a bunch. The Pune Satara road looked as beautiful as our drive to Panshet a few weeks before due to the presence of these Cosmos. Mostly orange at times we saw yellow smaller ones as well. The orange and yellow marigolds also gave a tough competition to the Cosmos throughout the entire stretch but then at the end the Cosmos won hands down due to their petite frame and the cascading effect that was created by ripples of wind along the mountains.


We took a left from the main highway at one point to go towards the Veer dam. As we proceeded the landscape became dotted with farm lands and farmers working in the fields. We  saw some small hut type houses which were probably some village. Soon we crossed the Nira river and from then on our left side the backwaters of Veer Dam started accompanying us. We could see the water through the thick foliage and the villages, but the distance from the road was much. As we drove further the condition of the road deteriorated and at one point of time there was no road but pebbles and dirt. Got to know that the government had tried to construct good roads here but due to the local political influence on the villagers dispute happened and they never let the government complete the roads. We even saw unfinished bridges and worn out “men at work” signs all along the road indicating the truth of the fact. As we moved on the distance between the road and the backwaters decreased and slowly we were riding very next to it. The water was very calm and peaceful. The aquamarine waters had dark and light alternate ribbons of color due to the difference in depths at places.

Marine trees were seen in the water. We saw many birds on way – some of them very very beautiful and not the ones which are usually seen in city. Veer dam is known for migratory birds visiting it during the winters. A large number of birds are seen in this region every year and many bird watchers are present to witness them.

Such a beautiful place and yet it seemed unexplored and virgin. Maybe that’s one reason why the water of the dam was so clean. A couple of cars stopped for a quick snap but no one stayed for long. We moved further on till the gates of the dam. Few Eucalyptus trees were there along the bank, the minty pine scent with a touch of honey lingered in the air. A couple of village women sat under them washing clothes. We parked the bike outside the gate and walked inside. The lake looked very serene and deep. Veer is one of the largest dams of Maharastra. The slope of the dam was rocky and had tiny violet blossoms all over. We did not walk ahead but spent some quite time by the entry and took snaps. The sun was getting hotter and we decided to backtrack.

There are a couple of hotels by the side of the Veer dam, one of them Sai International was operational. As we were very thirsty from all the driving in the sun we decided to unwind for some time at the hotel. The property is strategically located overlooking the backwaters. It has a nice lawn with wrought iron tables. It has both lodging and fooding. The bar area is separate. We sat at the family restaurant and ordered some mixed bhajiyas and vanilla milkshake. The restaurant was clean enough though we were the only two people there. The bar had more people. The milkshakes arrived first in tall glasses and was one of the best vanilla milkshake I have ever tasted – creamy , frothy and delicately sweetened not more or less. The bhajiyas also arrived and we were left speechless by the sheer mountain sized quantity of it. Somehow we managed to finish half plate.



Well fed and happy we left the hotel and began our journey back. We stopped for an occasional picture or two. The return ride was more pleasant as by that time the sky had become overcast which brought down the temperature a bit. Also the flowers looked brighter against the green backdrop in the shade. The Pune Satara highway has a very large tunnel. This was the first time I was crossing a tunnel on a bike. The air rush with all the light and shadow play on the walls made me feel like we were in some Harry Potter video game navigating a dungeon on a broomstick :D.


We were home by 2.30 PM. We were tired but happy. After a year almost we did a long ride.

During the ride we discussed a lot about the Maharashtrian cuisine and spicy Kolhapuri chicken was also discussed.  The bold and super spicy dish from Kolhapur is well known for its heat content. If it's not spicy its not authentic Kolhapuri chicken. The next day being a Sunday was our usual day for Chicken. Since so much had been discussed about spicy chicken curry I decided to make something on similar lines. But didnt want it overpowered with spiciness, so it had to be something with the rich flavours of regional chicken but at the same time be low on the heat. I had heard one of my colleagues at office who is from Rajasthan, talk about a particular dish famous in Rajasthan - Laal Maas or Fiery Red Mutton curry. The colour itself is something to talk about - mutton pieces cooked in a rich deep red coloured spicy sauce. What Kolhapuri Chicken is to Maharashtra , Laal Maas is to Rajasthan. I didn't have mutton in the pantry so it had to be tweaked to accommodate chicken in the same recipe.

I looked up on the net and found many recipes of Laal Maas. Among them one of my favorite blogger  Soma of eCurry's Rajasthani red chicken curry looked very delicious. She had a lot of garlic seasoning in her recipe but I tweaked the ingredient list according to my taste - I am not very fond of strong garlic smell in my Indian chicken curry. So I reduced the quantity of garlic and other masalas to keep the curry light on the stomach while keeping the color intact. I was a bit doubtful about the color that Soma had produced in her dish but finally I also managed the same hue. The recipe turned out soooo very good that I got compliment that it was tasting just like "Biyebarir Mangsho" or Mutton prepared during wedding dinners in Bengal.

When Sharanya asked me to do a guest post for her blog I was too excited reason being this was going to be my first guest post for any one. Writing for my own blog is one thing and writing for someone else is a totally different ball game together, there is a lot of responsibility attached to it. As the initial excitement subdued, I started to become jittery. Now the biggest job was to zero in on a recipe that would be good enough for a guest post. I had a lot of dishes in mind and was finding it difficult to streamline my thoughts.

The first thing that comes to my mind when I think of food is Bengali cuisine...of course it’s the cuisine which is most dear to my heart because I grew up with it. The Bengali's love for food is legendary. The variety of fish and vegetables are so diverse that anything can be combined with everything and a new dish can be created. Bengalis make ambrosial dishes out of the oftentimes rejected peels, stalks and leaves of vegetables.  Ghonto, chorchori, chechki, labra, paturi, bhapa, jhal, jhol, kosha, bhate, chhyanchra, dalna, dolma,kalia, pora, shukto are some of the predominant cooking styles from this cuisine. Every dish gets its unique signature flavor and taste depending on the cooking method.


The eating method is as elaborate as the cooking method. Quoting Wiki "The Bengalis are very particular about the way and the order in which the food should be served. Each dish is to be eaten separately with a little rice so that the individual flavors can be enjoyed. The first item served may be a little ghee which is poured over a small portion of rice and eaten with a pinch of salt. Then come the bitter preparation, shukto, followed by lentils or dals, together with roasted or fried vegetables (bhaja or bharta). Next come the vegetable dishes, the lightly spiced vegetables, chenchki, chokka, followed by the most heavily spiced dalna, ghonto and those cooked with fish. Finally the chicken or mutton, if this being served at all. Chaatni comes to clear the palate together with crisp savory wafers, papor. Dessert is usually sweet yogurt (mishti doi). The meal is finally concluded with the handing out of betel leaf (paan), which is considered to be an aid to digestion and an astringent."

By now you would have a fair enough idea about how religious the Bengalis are about their food. Today I would like to write about a very humble and comforting recipe from Bengal.


I have been food blogging for over a year now. I had a G+ page which I never tried to explore. I used to remain within the frontiers of my blog until recently when one fine day I decided to understand the enigmatic G+. As I started browsing I became aware of "communities" and started adding them. The more time I started spending I became aware of the huge treasure trove of recipes being posted all around the world.  One fine day I was invited by Sharanya to attend her ongoing event "Let's celebrate Halloween" that's how I gradually started interacting with her. A very sweet person whose cakes and pastries are equally sugary, delectable, mouth-watering, ravishing and I could go on and on. As much as I try to keep myself away from all this calorie filled yummies I still love to savor the delicacies with my eyes on Sharanya's blog. Her blog is very warm and inviting...it almost makes me feel like a kid in a candy shop. It's a very proud moment for me to be doing a guest post for a cordon bleu like her.



There are many restaurants claiming to serve "authentic Bengali" cuisine, but be sure the real essence of Bengali food can be only savored at a Bengalis home. Maybe as they say, hotel cooked food  lacks the warmth and love of a home cooked meal. Among all the amazing dishes that are there the one that I am going to write about is just a simpleton in front of the other more famous counterparts. But still this inconspicuous homely dish has a lot of filigrees of memory associated with it and interspersed with the quintessential flavour of Bengali cuisine – warm and near to heart.

Two things are very commonly used in this cuisine – Mustard and Poppy seed. Mustard in the form of oil, paste, powder or as a whole spice and poppy mainly as a paste.  Jinge Posto is one such dish which most of the bengalis are crazy about. The basic Posto preparation is made out of potatoes in a creamy poppy paste base. Variations include using onion, Ridge gourd, pointed gourd (potol/parwal), ladyfinger (bhindi), cauliflower(Fulkopi), yard long bean (borboti) etc along with aloo. Each version has a characteristic taste. My favourite is Jhinge Posto - soft jhinge and mushy potato in a clingy creamy poppy seed paste with a sharp flavor of Kalonji and some slitted green chillies building up the heat. Very personal and comforting.


PS: I am humbled by all the kind words that Sharanya had mentioned about me in her post. Thank you Sharanya once again for giving me this opportunity to write the first guest post for you.