Comfort food

Kaalan, also known as kurukk kaalan

As I finish making kaalan, my maiden attempt.. can't help writing a few words.. Those who know me, know I can't cook to save my life.. well, the lockdown has forced me to venture into that territory as well :)

Every home has a signature dish, a classic.. ours is Amma's kaalan.. for me, there's no one else who can make this better than her.. I refuse to even taste anyone else's kaalan.. I could be biased.. but I prefer kaalan to taste the way she makes it.. I even hold all the 'sadya' kaalans to disdain, till date..

I guess it is more to do with the memories associated with it.. there was a time when Amma was working in a different city and this is a dish which would stay fresh for a long time, if refrigerated.. she would be home once in a fortnight and make kaalan.. steamed rice, kaalan, some curd and a pappadam.. bliss! My comfort food :)

The smooth creamy texture, the sourness from the curd, the punch of the peppercorns and the flavour of the cumin-coconut-chilli paste.. aahaahaaa! Tried my hand at it, it turned out decent and I stand by my words..

My Amma makes the best kaalan in the world.. hehe..

#nostalgia #cookingathome #keralafood

Lockdown

Of miniature cupboards and jumbo butterflies..

Of small talks and lots of time..

Of tiny hands and vivid ideas..

Of talkative dinner tables and simple fare..

Of Ramayana, Mahabharata and Frozen, Madagascar..

Of work from home and work at home..

Of role reversal and comfortable silences..

A lockdown.. of miniature cupboards and jumbo butterflies.. :)

#randomrhymes #origami #lockdown #redminote7proindia #kiddo @ Tripunittura

Vishu 2020

The case of the duck

So kiddo and me are setting the kani for today morning.. she is as enthusiastic as a 4 year old would be.. and dropping and spilling things, much to my dismay..

So she asks me - Amma, why do we keep vellarakka, bananas, mangoes and not any other fruits and vegetables..(I had a few other things, but they didn't look photo-worthy, yeah I am pretentious, that way)

Anyhow, so I come with a brilliant (partly fact) explanation, usually all yellow, golden things are kept as kani.. so when you see them first thing in the morning.. in the vilakku light, you see everything as a lovely yellow, golden hue.. and that is meant to show prosperity for the year to come.. then I tell her.. see the konna-poovu, that's yellow, and she pitches in.. yes our vilakku and ashtamangalyam set is golden.. and on and on we go..

So, we are almost done, the stage.. err.. the kani is set.. and she brings this random toy of hers.. a yellow plastic duck.. and says.. so we can keep this yellow duck also for the yellow, golden light, eh?

Wishing all of you a very Happy yellow Vishu!

#kiddo #boltibandh #vishukani #kiddokathas

My constant

Seconds later, the canvas changes..

Minutes tick, and you don't go away

On days like these, you have been there..

For months like these, you did not sway

All these years, you have stayed put..

In times like these, you have been my constant

My constant..

#randomrhymes

#eveningsky

#lockdown #redminote7proindia

#kerala #bearwithme

Reflections

Boundaries, merging..

Boundaries, separating..

Reflections, boundless..

Reflections, boxed..

Minds, confused..

Minds, calm..

#randomrhymes #redminote7proindia #sunnyafternoon #bearwithme

rains

She's trying to spot an earthworm(not in pic) I had pointed out.. it's a wiggly waggly worm apparently (courtesy Peppa Pig)..

The earthworm brought back memories of the monsoons of childhood.. 

We used to lift up old rocks and stones to check if there are any earthworms underneath.. @splashartgirl , @chinmayshah.. I don't know if u remember doing that.. also make squelchy sounds in the wet mud with our feet... And try to make the boats stay afloat on the slope in front of the building gate..

Monsoons also meant garam garam kaanda bhajiyas.. monsoons meant waterfalls from the bedroom window.. before Cypress n Redwoods came up.. monsoons meant anti-rust paint on bicycles

Monsoons meant raincoats and umbrellas and an extra plastic cover in the school bag to keep the wet stuff away from the books.. monsoon meant no socks to school.. n putting your feet in a relatively clean puddle and washing off all the mud...

Monsoons meant local trains getting cancelled.. it meant surreptitiously made movie plans.. when bunking work .. monsoons meant Marine drive and the rain hitting you.. when looking at the sea.. garam garam butta.. and umbrellas becoming dish antennae.. @preejahoskeri, @avanigandhi & Nisha..

Hardly any photos of these memories.. still can be relived again and again.. :)

Wishing kiddo also makes monsoon memories and is able to look back at them..when she grows older..

#kiddo #random #monsoon #nostalgia

Ganpati

Dipping the soft spongy pav in the spicy gravy.. I take a mouthful.. the heat hits me alongwith the crunch of the farsaan.. a bit of sourness of the squeezed lemon juice, and the bite of the raw onions.. Misal pav! Haaye.. the memories.. like songs.. some dishes take you back on a trip.. a trip down memory lane..

The first time I fell in love with misal pav would be when I tasted Amantran, Thane's fiery version.. the first floor eatery near Thane railway station.. it was Ganesh Chaturthi.. 

Many of my friends had "Dedh Divsaachya Ganapati" at home.. when Ganpati's idol is installed at your home and the visarjan is after one and a half days.. Ganesh Chaturthi day would be a holiday and it was spent in visiting all these homes where Ganpati Bappa would be waiting with his smiling face.. and one more reason for the gang to meet and have fun :)

So one such Ganesh Chaturthi day, after completing the Thane/ Dombivli round of darshans.. hunger pangs hit us (irrespective of the fact that we had gorged on prasad at each place).. don't remember who suggested.. Amantran chalte hai.. and the rest is history..

Happy Atham and Ganesh Chaturthi! :)

Gratitude

Some days remind me of how lucky I am to see the sun set in all its glory.. maybe not all.. some of its glory :)

Yesterday evening in the midst of a maddening day.. an orange tinge on the walls in front of me, beckoned me..

A slowly spreading blush.. as if to say.. come, take a break, rest a bit..

I got up and looked out and this is what I saw.. a beautiful sky..

Thanks to technology, I don't need to rely on words alone to describe the view..

 "Work from home" has brought such small pleasures which make me happy.. some moments of solitude, a few minutes of reflection which I used to crave earlier..

#gratitudepost #sunset #nofilters #metime #orangesky #workfromhome

Reminiscences of a childhood...

A recent visit took me back to my summer holidays.. summer holidays meant playing in the sun, eating juicy mangoes and sticky jackfruit.. it meant learning to identify birds from their sounds and to identify plants..

You got your share of "puchcham" (scorn) because you were city-bred and were ignorant..

It meant lights out at 8:30 pm, temples in the morning, updating your Malayalam slang with the help of your cousins and the latest Malayalam movies..

After you got older, it wasn't so much fun.. the mud and the frogs got to you.. the early nights were annoying.. the sprawling old house accumulated dust and spiders and what not.. the affectionate neighbours seemed nosy.. the puchcham shifted.. you were the one scorning..

Now.. none of it matters.. what you want is your child to have a childhood which has its share of the warm sun, the green pond, the "ola" puppet, the coconut shells..The flowers and the leaves.. and some of the conveniences which a city life offers.. and he/ she learns to appreciate all of them.. and be CONTENT.. isn't that what matters more than happiness?

The seat under the tree

Come, have a seat..

Don't miss a beat..

The stories we could share..

Don't think of them as threadbare..

Listen to the leaves rustle..

Stay calm, don't hustle..

Here, time is standstill..

Breathe in, to your heart's fill..

Maybe it will help you..

Write a line or two..

Of how you had peace..

Under the shade of trees.

#randomrhymes #redminote7pro #kerala

I see what you see...

I see what you see..
Aren't you a part of me?

You look at everything with wonder
Be it sun, rain or thunder..

The smell of the first rain,
The first time you fall and the pain

The first taste of ice cream..
And when you see your shadow and scream

There's so much more for you to feel
I'll be with you, that's the deal..

I see what you see..
Aren't you a part of me?

You :)

A grasp of your fingers makes us glad..
It is for real.. We are Mom & Dad!

Hop, skip and jump.. Try your feet..
You dance to your own beat.

Tiny eyes that look into ours...
So much trust and no farce.

A smile which melts our hearts..
Innocent you are, no guile no arts!

Welcome to our world, heart's delight..
One look at you and everything is alright :)

Home..

The house where I grew up.. 
The people whom I laughed with, shared my life..
The school where I went to.. The college where I chilled..
The familiar streets, the road-side food..
The tangy chats, the spicy chutney..
"Bhaiyya.. ek sookha puri!"
The glass of ganne ka juice which energised me, 
The softy ice-cream which mesmerized me..

Amma's lectures and cooking , 
Achan's non-stop worrying..
The table which held my books, 
The shelves which still hold half my library :)
The walls which know of my dreams,
The pillows which know of my tears.
The local trains, which ran my life..
The shopping for trinkets, the price haggling
The battle of wits and strength for..
that very prized.. "hawa wala window seat"

Bombay for me is all this and more.. and it always will be..
Someone rightly said, home is where the heart is..

And a piece of my heart will always stay in Bombay..

Alone..

Darkness envelops me..
Wraps me in its embrace..

I am all alone, how can it be!
I look around, no familiar face..

No comforting touch, no encouraging nod..
Where did everyone vanish, wonder where I am..

And that's life for u, says God..
Wake up and smell the coffee, Ma'am!!

Anything I want..

The sea at my feet..
The wind in my hair..

Laughter in my eyes..
Music in my ears..

I can fly.. I can soar..
I can scream.. I can roar..

I will never say I can't..
I can be anything I want.

For H

It has been ONE year and some more since we got married.

Yes, to be cliched.. time flew.. and yet it feels like it has been so long since H has been part of my life..

A decision which changed my life.. I moved to a new city..

To a new experience.. To interact with a completely new set of people..

Thanks to H, I am maintaining my sanity.. I am not sure what is his status.. Hehehe..

It wasn't all that easy, yet it wasn't all that difficult..

Looking forward to many more such years together.. learning, listening and loving..

Happy Anniversary, H..

From clearing of throats, pauses and gaps..

To the long talks, arguments and yaps

From uncertain smiles, awkward hints..

To look at you and have an automatic grin

We have come a “short” way.. of this journey long..

I never thought it this would be it, when you came along

Into my life, dispelling my doubts, my fear..

Having you as part of my life, my dear

Is the best thing that has ever happened to me..

To rhyme I must add, we are meant to be! :)

Weekend at Wayanad

Lines criss-cross the orange sky..
Like the lines on my palm..
The ones on the sky bring showers anew..
Will the latter disturb my calm..?

The earth lets out a misty breath..
The chill envelops everything in its fold..
The forests inside and outside are dense..
Wonder what secrets they hold!!

Reading..

The moon casts its soft glow..
On the lovely silent night..
The clouds gather, the winds blow..
I feel my worries take flight..

Some comforting.. some inspiring..
The words take me to a world so new..
I live lives many.. in a short while..
As I turn the pages few..

Retrospection

It’s that time of the year again.. when I think of what happened and how could I have handled it better..

2013 has been a mixed bag of sorts.. brought in its wake.. Anxiety, Confusion, Marriage, Love (in that order), Despair, Homesickness, Restlessness, Hope, Joy.. and what not! It has been a year of change.. of uprooting.. of moving out of my comfort zone.. of accepting someone and a whole family as my own.. of coming to terms with unemployment.. of realization that there’s a lot in this whole wide world that I am yet to learn..

You win some, you lose some.. that pretty much sums up 2013 for me..

Wins:

A wonderful partner for life..

And a huge warm family..

Discovery that life outside Mumbai can be beautiful..

Knowledge that I speak my mother tongue quite well.. [Brag.. me? Never!]

Losses:

A few close friendships to misunderstandings..

Geographical proximity to my parents..

Confidence in ease of finding a job as per my terms..

I wondered at the confidence some unexpected people showed in me.. and faltered at the lack of support from certain quarters..

There is so much to explore, adapt and learn in life.. I thought, I know and I have experienced a whole lot of things.. Reality is.. No school teaches you to be prepared for shocks in life.. You learn from experience..

I am hoping that all this has helped me learn and there hasn’t been any year as eventful as this in my whole life.. atleast the part that I remember..

A roller-coaster.. an emotional one at that.. 2013.. you made me.. a wee bit more enlightened..

You..

You amaze me..
You stun me..

Such an unassuming look you air..
Capable of making me think why do I dare..

I could look at you all day..
At the end of it, I still pray..

Six yards of bewilderment..
You bewitch me and scare me!

[after a nerve-racking "successful" attempt at wearing a saree]