Mumbai se aaya mera dost….

 

well not really….she’s moved back to Delhi now but this seemed like the purrfect title so there. Anyway so when the friend, husband’s batch mate from MBA called up we decided to catch up at our home (previously and famously known as the “adda”) for dinner. Now, comes the difficult part as she put the spanner in my typically punju menu. She wanted me to keep the dinner menu light. huh? Oh ji koi dinner shinner hota hai kya maa ki daal aur butter chicken ke bina…..ok rajma? no no that’s heavy too…This gave rise to the BIGGEST challenge of them all, “kya banao” Trust me it is a challenge and a question I struggle with before each mealtime. Cooking is easy but deciding well that’s another worldly story in itself.

So now here is when I thought of taking husbands opinion. I shouldn’t have. Anyway he was pouring over boring tax papers and answered with a question, “So WHAT in the world is the definition of light food?” I told him well in my dictionary it is “ghiya, tinda, touri…” and he was like “OK Cool so I am eating heavy!!” Wow what help.

Anyways after racking my brains I decided on grilled garlic and pepper chicken, tuna salad, focaccia and some Zingo rice. You decide whether this is light dinner or not? Cause punjabiyon ki definition of light food remains much questionable. Veering from the topic once my son told my mom “Nani aaj light dinner kartae hain” On asking indulgently what he will like to eat, she was told “samosa and bread”. That doesn’t say much about our capabilities of judging a light meal from heavy now, does it?

 

Toh Khaanae main yeh tha…..

Recipe Desk

Tuna Salad

inspired by the recipe from another dear friend Nina Saxena.

2 cans tuna

around 3tbsp balsamic vinegar mixed with 2 tbsp EVOO and some oregano

a cup of diced red apple

walnuts chopped roughly

small head of iceberg lettuce

salt, pepper and two dashes of Tabasco red

I had kept everything ready in the fridge with the lettuce and apple dunked in chilled water.Just before serving toss in a bowl and serve. Simple light and tasty without the confusion of too many flavors.

 

 

Zingo Rice

Named thus, as I use Zingo, the garlic chilli sauce, by Delmonte.

Some chopped onions, sweet corn, mushrooms, sausages cooked and chopped, red and green peppers. Boiled rice.

in a tbsp olive oil sauté onions, add sliced mushrooms and when they leave water add peppers to light cook them if you don’t like their crunch. Top with loads of freshly ground black pepper and salt according to your taste. Add sausages in the wok now along with rice loaded with generous splash of Zingo. Toss them well together in the wok.

Serve hot and be ready for the compliments.

 

Focaccia

Store bought. Problem Solved. Served with some EVOO mixed with oregano as a dip.

 

Grilled Chicken with garlic and pepper

Sliced onions and pre-marinated chicken with yes you guessed it garlic and salt.

Heat a tsp butter and some oil and add in chopped garlic. Brown the onions and put in the chicken pieces. On high heat brown the chicken pieces well, lower heat and cook. The chicken will be done in about 10 to 15mins.

Light dinner hai ya heavy ab yeh faislaa appka.

 

 

 

Tribute to my cousin Sid Varma

 

I have been absconding from the blogosphere for a while now, and I think it is time now to bounce back. But I cannot do it without sharing my reasons for missing from the scene. I lost my youngest cousin brother Sidhartha Varma to an ailment of the lungs. A disease that he fought with the will power of a giant. I would never say that he lost, because as we all tell our children it is more important to have participated than to have either won or lost. And participated he did. Fought like a valiant soldier.The disease had eaten up and rendered his body lame and limp but absolutely could not touch his sharp mind, wit and the spirit. He wanted to live. Live for his mom, his beautiful wife and a 2 and a half year old son. However god had different plans. He is now at a plane where no disease can touch him, he is whole.

 

In death as in his life and through his illness he was the most compassionate person I have known. he was more worried about you standing by his hospital bed side, he wanted you to sit, be comfortable, used to light up with the news of my child, offered tea to everyone who visited him  and was most careful about handing over a tip to the attendant each time he was cleaned. On the fateful evening of 4th of June god embraced him and he passed on to another realm. Heavens gained a good Samaritan and we lost him.

The family needless to say has been inconsolable. 32 is an age to live it up not bid goodbye. But credit needs to be handed over where it is due. They decided to donate his eyes, the decision was unanimous and within minutes the team from the eye bank arrived and did the needful. Today he is alive not only in our hearts but through the eyes of 2 unknown human beings who can now see the rainbow, he is looking at the world with a fresh perspective. He has done the mahadaan; he has donated eyesight.

May the tribe of such persons increase and may darkness be dispelled. May his souls Rest In Peace and may the family gather enough courage and strength to carry on the business off living.

You will be missed bro.

Read about why should one donate one’s eyes here