Let the light reach you..

I haven’t posted anything on this blog for ages and it wasn’t for lack of motivation but it’s was more of time constraints. My kitchen has been buzzing always but never had the time to take pictures and write about recipes. I love cooking and therefore changed this blog to food blog but I think it will go back to blabbering what’s in my head again! Sorry for few of you who read this.

I have always believed that we all have then key to happiness and can achieve whatever we set our eye on. However the fact is the time to achieve your goals/ambitions/dreams will depend on the situation you are in and the people in your life. Oh you knew this was coming!

It’s funny how some people just stress so much how others should behave, talk, respond and forget to analyse their own behaviour. In an ideal scenario we all should realise our own shortcomings before we point fingers but I think it’s easier for some people to skip the first stage and just think everyone out there is after them.

In this whole process what they miss is the opportunity to enrich their life with people who want to be close to them but can’t be just because they can’t move beyond situations and pity misunderstandings. We all leave this world alone what we leave behind is love and memories in people heart for you. If you can’t grow above all the issues for a new start whether you are old or young then you dint allow the light to get to your heart!!!

New year and dilemma’s

Every year we think about new year resolutions and improving our life!

We all fall of the bandwagon after sometime – life changes only when you make that change.

When you plan to take a step move forward so don’t wait for New Years just go ahead and do what makes you smile.

A xxx

Happy new year to fellow bloggers!!!!

Hope you had a great start to new year and 2012 will be amazingly awesome for all of us:)

Promises….

This post makes me smile not in a funny way but with disappointment of not being able to keep my promise of blogging often but and there is a BIG “but” as I have not been able to stick to my plans…

As someone said that it’s important to show courage and move in the right direction and sometimes journey is more significant than the results  – I have to say I am finding lot of solace in this thought today. I did take pictures of the food I cooked as I cook daily but had no time or energy to post about them individually.

So here is a peek a boo in my treasure of pictures without their recipe’s …. common don’t sneer at me, does life not throw us into situations where we have no idea what the hell just happened!!!!

I believe posting pics without recipes is just like that! Having said that I even thought about blogging about Independence day and the whole food celebration that would go with it (JLT talking about my childhood)!!!! However due to time constraints I thought…let my pictures SPEAK THOUSAND WORDS IN MY DEFENCE

Love to hear from visitors or bloggers….keep connected

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Aloo paratha yum yum

Awla pickle

Best to go with …Puri

Bread Pakora

channa kulcha

Dhokla

Dry Bhindi and jeera Aloo

Kadhi

Lentil Fitters and Vegetable Pakoras

Makke ki roti

multigrain bread with ricotta cheese, tomato and spinach

Nibbles..

oven baked stuffed auburgine

Missing Chai Wallah’s

Well if you talking about rains how could you not talk about chai!

I know Londoner’s love their tea but I still have to fall to in love with the english tea – growing up with a cup of tea that’s made with undivided attention and precision can never be replaced by water boiled in kettle and coloured with tea bag.
Loved the whole session that would do the round while sipping tea with some home-made snack (of course pakoras topped the list) specially a nice cup of tea outside university/college at small tapries!
Miss the whole experience of eating at dhabas and snacking in small tapries and I don’t think any Starbucks/Nero/Costa can make up for them. I can give up Starbuck to sit on a roadside taprie for a hot cardamom earthen tea cup just heavenly!  So I am looking forward to try Chai at DISHOOM  London and may be I will in love with chai all over again!

I don’t think so many people fancy chai wallahs the way I do may be because I fall in love easily with everything

My love with rain…

I know a lot of people complain about rains in london and I admit they are bit annoying not because you get wet BUT  purely because they are not good enough for a rain dance and getting drenched.

Heavy rains are a voyage for me into a different world –  it’s like a Bollywood song playing in the background, suddenly the world seems so beautiful and I feel like leaving everything and enjoying that moment. Doesn’t it look like the earth is absorbing every drop and we too are ready to drench ourselves with nature’s ecstasy.

In all this if you get a chance to find a small shade and a hot cup of tea – life ban jati hai!

You find a reason to smile, without any reason you find a reason to catch up with friends have fun in rain..sit together and share thoughts and a cuppa what else you need to have fun..

Rain just brings back memories of the best time of my life which was sheer happiness, in all it’s simplicity. I am mesmerized with Rains!!!

Here I go with when it RAINS!!!

P.S. – this post is written in like 5 mins so forgive all mistakes!!!!!!!! Just had to share this…

Happiness in all shape and form!

Hello Peeps!!!!!!!!

Life is strange in it’s ways and strangest when in it’s mine! I have so many thoughts and ideas and I wish I could pen them all but mundane activities take all my time and energy. Hey stop don’t think I am here to fret!

Recently I read few pages from the book ‘The Art of Happiness (thoughts of Dalai Lama on Happiness complied by Dr. Howard C. Cutler)‘ and it was a revelation in itself. The book highlights how happiness is or should be our ultimate pursuit and that very well synchronizes with the principle of nirvana. I use to think why do people seek nirvana and it’s all the more confusing because it’s so difficult to achieve. The answer is we seek happiness in various ways and call it different names but in the end that’s our aim in life. I still have to grab my own copy and read it but that made me think how our memories and happy moments do influence our choices, our likes and dislikes .

I started writing the blog with the thought I would pen down something about comfort food and childhood memories and entirely strayed away from the topic. Coming back to my main topic – last weekend I was missing home and mom ke haatho ka khana so thought of making poha with tea. Just to relive those simple plain adorable moments with mum. Once upon a time when I was a lil’ girl and mum would make poha for us in evening and I would marvel at her culinary skills and think she is amazing!

Well she is still amazing what has changed is my perception and cooking skills and I know I can make this even if I am blindfolded!

I don’t mean to say I am expert in kitchen just that it’s very easy and you should definitely make it if you like poha in any variation or form – most importantly if it reminds you of someone special.

Method

1 1/2 cups jada poha (beaten rice flakes)- soaked in water for 5 minutes
1 1/2 cups boiled sprouts or pea instead of potatoes,

Spices: 1/2 tsp mustard seeds ( rai / sarson)
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 to 2 green chillies, chopped
1/4 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
1 tsp oil

Add before serving – 3 tsp lemon juice
1.       Place the poha on a sieve and wash lightly. Drain and leave aside for 10 minutes.
2.       Heat the oil in a non-stick pan and add the mustard seeds. When they crackle, add the onion and green chillies and sauté till the onion turns translucent.
3.       Add the mixed sprouts, turmeric powder, sugar and salt with approx. ½ cup of water and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes.
4.       Add the poha and lemon juice and mix well.
5.       Serve hot, garnished with the coriander.

Hey before you leave can I please ask you to leave a comment or feedback just for my improvement

Thoughts…

I believe in pink.

I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner.

I believe in kissing, kissing a lot.

I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong.

I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls.

I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles

- Audrey Hepburn

I wish I could say it more beautifully than her but I guess I will let her take the limelight here

Divine is the word …

“While visiting Italy a few years ago ” that would have been my opening statement if I postponed writing this blogpost anymore. I was in Vatican, Italy during Easter and was looking forward to some nice Italian food  however I have never been a Pasta fan alright go on fret  !!!! but I am being Honest here.

To cut the long story short I found this amazing little restaurant just behind our hotel which was kindly recommended to us by a fellow traveller and fortunately there was no other restaurant nearby so without any further delay I landed at their door with empty stomach and high expectation.

So ordered the best wine on the house and loads of food and the first thing I said after a spoonful was – “That’s divine” and yes I meant it! I marveled at the flavors created by simple, quality ingredients – the trip was great opportunity to savour classic Italian food made with carefully selected fresh ingredients and definitely changed my perception of Italian food however Pizza still tops my list :

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Some thoughts…picked up on the way …

It’s been ages since I read “The Monk who Sold his Ferrari ” and today all by chance came across Robin Sharma‘s 50 top rules for work I did read the top tips for life as well but I could hardly agree with all of them including the one that said get up 5:00 am every morning…hmmmmmmmmmmm yep that was a long pause and then I thought to myself if I could do that every day I would be an author myself obviously what would I have done with all the extra time in my life! Here is list of things I could more relate to or agree ….

The 50 New Rules of Work

- You are not just paid to work. You are paid to be uncomfortable – and to pursue projects that scare you.
- Take care of your relationships and the money will take care of itself.
- Lead you first. You can’t help others reach for their highest potential until you’re in the process of reaching for yours.

- To double your income, triple your rate of learning.
- While victims condemn change, leaders grow inspired by change.
- Small daily improvements over time create stunning results.
- Surround yourself with people courageous enough to speak truthfully about what’s best for your organization and the customers you serve.
- Don’t fall in love with your press releases.
- Every moment in front of a customer is a moment of truth (to either show you live by the values you profess – or you don’t).
- Copying what your competition is doing just leads to being second best.
- Become obsessed with the user experience such that every touchpoint of doing business with you leaves people speechless. No, breathless.
- If you’re in business, you’re in show business. The moment you get to work, you’re on stage. Give us the performance of your life.
- Be a Master of Your Craft. And practice + practice + practice.
- Get fit like Madonna.
- Read magazines you don’t usually read. Talk to people who you don’t usually speak to. Go to places you don’t commonly visit. Disrupt your thinking so it stays fresh + hungry + brilliant.
- Remember that what makes a great business – in part – are the seemingly insignificant details. Obsess over them.
- Good enough just isn’t good enough.
- Brilliant things happen when you go the extra mile for every single customer.
- An addiction to distraction is the death of creative production. Enough said.
- If you’re not failing regularly, you’re definitely not making much progress.
- Lift your teammates up versus tear your teammates down. Anyone can be a critic. What takes guts is to see the best in people.
- Remember that a critic is a dreamer gone scared.
- Leadership’s no longer about position. Now, it’s about passion. And having an impact through the genius-level work that you do.
- The bigger the dream, the more important the team.
- If you’re not thinking for yourself, you’re following – not leading.
- Work hard. But build an exceptional family life. What’s the point of reaching the mountaintop but getting there alone.
- The job of the leader is to develop more leaders.
- The antidote to deep change is daily learning. Investing in your professional and personal development is the smartest investment you can make. Period.
- Smile. It makes a difference.

- Say “please” and “thank you”. It makes a difference.
- Shift from doing mindless toil to doing valuable work.
- Remember that a job is only just a job if all you see it as is a job.
- Don’t do your best work for the applause it generates but for the personal pride it delivers.
- The only standard worth reaching for is BIW (Best in World).
- In the new world of business, everyone works in Human Resources.
- In the new world of business, everyone’s part of the leadership team.
- Words can inspire. And words can destroy. Choose yours well.
- You become your excuses.
- You’ll get your game-changing ideas away from the office versus in the middle of work. Make time for solitude.

- Creativity needs the space to present itself.
-The people who gossip about others when they are not around are the people who will gossip about you when you’re not around.
- It could take you 30 years to build a great reputation and 30 seconds of bad judgment to lose it.
- The client is always watching. The way you do one thing defines the way you’ll do everything. Every act matters.
- To be radically optimistic isn’t soft. It’s hard. Crankiness is easy.
- People want to be inspired to pursue a vision. It’s your job to give it to them.
-Every visionary was initially called crazy.The purpose of work is to help people. The other rewards are inevitable by-products of this singular focus.
- Remember that the things that get scheduled are the things that get done.
- Keep promises and be impeccable with your word. People buy more than just your products and services. They invest in your credibility.
- Lead Without a Title.