What gets me to the kitchen?

Appropriate to paste this comment from Pavita that I saw earlier today.
The weekend was complicated in terms of travel and stepping out of home – so we ended up cooking only a fritatta on saturday morning, but we did get Payal’s special layered Biryani on friday night. This, she had learnt from a kind lady when we briefly lived in Kanpur in the late 90’s. Will post that recipe here soon.


More pertinently, Pavita’s comment captured simply what goes on in my home and kitchen. And I am sure in many many others each weekend.


There are days that the ‘gushtaba’ is not perfect, and you still get cheered by your loved ones to keep trying. 


For me, going to the kitchen to cook is deeply creative and immersive. It allows me to focus on the one thing I am upto! I take (much) longer to craft that one weekend dish than I really need. And I realize also that I have started resting on the familiarity of the dishes I know well.


Next week, it has to be something I have not cooked before. And a gushtaba sounds like a plan! It has been over 10 years since I cooked anything remotely from that area. And living in Parel makes it another big reason to try again. So, the search begins again, for that wonderful book written by Sudhir Dar’s father – much thumbed, and you know – redolent with the spices and color that any well used recipe book will be stained by in the kitchen!

Some good eating in Goa.

Much of the previous weeks leisure time was spent in rather sunny Goa! As usual, Payal, the kids and I drove our (sometimes less that trustworthy) Skoda Laura. Just as a road trip tip for those of you with this car, we just let the rear seats down, put a couple of thin mattresses and pillows – and the kids pretty much sleep for 6 of the 8 hours it takes to North Goa. Naihan can sleep all the way to South too!


This was our first time in North Goa, and ably helped by Shaista’s deep knowledge of these parts, we were seriously well fed – despite the fact that many of the establishments on our list were shut for the month of May (Bomras,Thalassa – we will be back to check you out!).


The clear winner of the meal stakes was at a hole in the wall, riverside place called Amigo’s. Don’t ask me why ‘Amigo’s’ and not something more seafood contextual. The most heavenly butter garlic crab I have had in ages and a crusty, slightly burnt local fish – served whole. Some goan rice. Chilled beer. Shade and the riverside! I’m pretty sure you can’t find this place!


Just down the road from the Taj hotels is a terrific Italian place called Tuscany Gardens (http://tuscanygardens.in/). 8 adults and 2 kids, ate and drank to their fill in a lovely quiet setting – all under 6K. The food was tremendous enough to tell you that perhaps the only thing to avoid was the Quattro Formaggi (four cheese) pizza. Too cheesy for us.


And yes, I had never been to Souza Lobo before! You need to get here early to get a beach table that you can squat on for the next few hours, and be brave enough to go to Calangute. All of North Goa actually (aside from Calangute) seems too full of too many people. Souza’s sausage rice was what hit the spot for me. I have been transporting sausages from goa for a while now, and manage to rustle up some hybrid stuff (fried with onions, chillies, and then baked with eggs; a onion & rice prep) that I will post soon – once I take some snaps when I cook up next.


Also – just in case your increment was tiny this year – please do buy your booze in Goa before you fly out. I was shocked by the range, the display and the prices of spirits in Goa. I picked up at these very nice, fancy stores on the Aguada road – Newton’s and Delfino’s. Better than any large store in Bombay clearly. 


Actually, the range of food and groceries in these stores make it easy for one to rent a bungalow and do some good cooking a couple to times a day. Just saying you know – for those inclined to a cooking holiday!


So in sum. Another great road trip to a place I almost call home. And a fresh look at my Goa Fish curry and the sausage concoctions are coming up next.


The unmemorable parts of this trip – our stay at the Taj Holiday Village. The hotel has clearly seen better days, it’s a clear cash cow, and you should go to this place only if you are part of a corporate conference or a family group that is hogging 30-40 rooms. Pretty much these groups’ sense of entitlement and the hotel staff’s apathy make for a unremarkable time. And oh, they did not have Ten Sports – I ended up missing the Chelsea-Bayern Munich final! 


Easily the only unremarkable food was at a place called Pan Asian Bowl – on Miramar Beach road – just down to the right from Mum’s kitchen (and the mirchi/toi office). The whole essence of oriental food defiled by overspicing everything. And the staff was largely clueless! 8 of us ended up ordering enough for 14!

Why? Why Now?

Finally this blog sort of comes alive. 
I keep making amendments and adding twists to recipes that I grab off the web. But 2 months later when I want to make the same delicious dish again, I generally cannot recall which turn I took in the road! This blog will therefore help me save up and record the best of what I read and what I make.


My pinterest profile will also have pictures and links to all the wonderful things that I have crafted (or reinterpreted) in my kitchen (thread/finger – picture coming soon). And this blog will keep a record of the evil twists that I have made to some of these recipes, in the quest of making them completely mine.