Khichdi-chokha: Bihar’s comfort food
There is this thing about Bihari homes and Shanichar ki khichdi. if you don’t make masoor dal ki khichdi on a Saturday, you will encounter fierce arguments and glum faces! I have blogged about the reasons and…
Watermelon Rind Recipes
Summers are here and watermelons are being consumed in plenty. While we chomp down huge quantities of the red centre, I just thought I could make use of the white part of the watermelon, the rind. The…
A vegetarian Galaouti Kebab
It is the season of festivals where meat is taboo, and I’m continuing with my series on fake meats. So today’s recipe is a vegetarian Galaouti Kebab. The word Galaouti is probably derived from Galawati which literally…
Dhokha: A faux fish dish from Bihar
Kya aap dhokha khaana chahte hain? Surprised? Well, I am not asking if you want to be cheated. Dhokha is a vegetarian dish from Bihar. Why is it called Dhokha (literally meaning ‘deception’)? Because it fools you…
The quaint fishing village of Tai O
After our visit to see the Tian Tan Buddha and the Po Lin Monastery in Lantau Island in Hong Kong, we set off to visit the Tai O village. Buses are available in Ngong Ping and it…
Discovering Hot Pot in Hong Kong
We had just reached Hong Kong from Macau by ferry. By the time we reached our apartment in the heart of Mongkok we were exhausted and were craving to have lunch. So we strolled out to the…
The story of Kachchi Dabeli
I remember first buying a packet of Kachchi Dabeli masala in a supermarket and wondering why it was called Kachchi. It took me a few moments to discover that it was not कच्ची or ‘raw’ but कच्छी…
Winter special treats
As children growing up in Pondicherry, we hardly owned any sweaters. I distinctly remember 1984 when Dad was transferred to Chandrapur in autumn. The first winter caught us unawares and there was a rush to buy navy…
My dosa disasters
My mother and I shared a love-hate relationship. I always felt that she favoured my brothers, and I came second to her sons. This was something I never stopped fighting about. And my most vehement argument towards…
