Comfort food on a rainy day: Moong Daal Khichri SLURP !

Here comes a quick recipe to comfort my soul when the sun shy away and the rains lash down the city. 'Moong daaler khichuri' as the bongs call it is an absolute mouth watering dish. Combine it with brinjal fritters or bengena fry (in assamese), some spicy 'bhoot jolokia aasar' and crunchy 'papad' and I bet you will be drooling for more. Okay, cutting it short, here comes my recipe for beating the blues and uplift your soul on a lazy rainy day. Hope you will enjoy eating it as much as I love to serve it to family, friends and my growling tummy.

For the khichdi, ingredients required are :

Moong Daal - 1 &1/2 cup

Rice- half a cup

Vegetables : half cup cabbage (roughly chopped), half cup brinjal (cut into squares), a quarter cup radish (cut into squares), one potato (cut into cubes)

Green chillis - 2/3

Turmeric powder

Onion - one large, finely chopped

Ginger-Garlic - roughly chopped/blended

Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon

Coriander seeds - 1 & 1/2 teaspoon

Fenugreek seeds - half teaspoon

Dry red chillis - 2

(Masala - cumin seeds, coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds & red chilies are roasted together & grounded into a rough powder)

Pinch of sugar

Red chilli powder - 1 teaspoon

Cardamom pods - 2

Coriander - freshly chopped for garnishing

Ghee or oil - as per taste

Salt - as per taste

Procedure:

1. Roast the daal in a cooker till it turns golden and flavors come out.

2. Now wash the roasted daal along with rice grains properly, drain and keep it aside.

3. Heat a tablespoon of pure ghee or mustard oil in the cooker and add a pinch of sugar.

4. Once sugar turns brownish add the onions, ginger-garlic, crushed cardamom pods & roasted masala the and let the flavors to fill your kitchen with its aroma as you stir the mixture and cook it for a minute or two.

5. Time to add turmeric, red chilli powder & salt.

6. Now add all the chopped vegetables and cook it for a couple of minutes.

7. Next add the daal and rice and cook for another 3-4 minutes.

8. Finally add water as per your requirement. I like the khichdi if its little runny so I add around 2 cups of water. You can adjust it according to your taste. Don't forget to taste the salt after water is added and then let the cooker finish the job in 3 whistles.

9. Garnish by adding fresh coriander & serve it hot with crisp brinjal fritters, some mouth watering pickle and roasted papad.

Hope your moong-daal-khichdi turns out hot, spicy and lip smacking. Enjoy :)

Twilight to Remember

The moment I saw it, I knew it was going to stay with me for lifetime. I was awe struck by its beauty. My jaws dropped open and the feeling ran down to my blood like current. I was happy-so happy, to be in that moment. It was the most beautiful twilight that I had ever seen till to this date. Far away, beneath the blue sky, there stood the majestic snow clad Himalayas in front of my eyes. My soul was lost in wanderlust!

I witnessed the sky transforming from blue into crimson red with a narrow sheet of orange lucidly floating in-between; the lonesome Pole star shone bright and steady. It resembled like oil paintings or a crisp picture cut from travel magazines. As far as my eyes could see, I saw nothing but the vast open sky and its magnanimity that stretched for miles after miles.Soon the cameras came out and the shutterbugs began clicking as we all huddled to come into one frame. We were five in our group of crack-pots: an eccentric-happy scientist, one merry-go-lucky wife, a celebrity-look-alike husband, a jolly old best friend and an equally crazy me. In that moment we were all intoxicated by beauty. Here the facts are little twisted. I am taking of being intoxicated by beauty of nature and affect of alcohol at almost sub zero temperature. The air outside was bone-chilling and our hands went numb inside our pockets. I could barely feel my fingers that

had turned reddish pink but inside I was craving for more. I wanted to stay there and sit atop a hill and gaze at stars far above. How I wish we could do that!

On our way back through the rope-way, it was another breathtaking sight. The city nestling between the two mountains was lit up by evening lights which was beautifully mirrored by the water of the lake. The boats were long gone but rows of street shops by the lake-side came alive with activity. We strolled, shopped and snacked on hot food. Took snaps of each-other, exchanged stupid jokes and winks, laughed a lot and soon got ready for yet another memorable night in the city.

Just a thought

Many years from now, when I will be watching TV sitting by your side I know I will be happy. Happy to have grown old with you gracefully and having lived a life full of wonderful moments etched into my memory. I would love to see wrinkles running across my face as testimony of age and experience. My skin will turn pale and your beard will grow white. Our hands will still be holding each-other while crossing the busy streets. My curiosity doubles at the very thought of silver hair sitting proudly upon my head like a crown. I can see our progeny bearing healthy and beautiful grand children huddling together on the bed, surrounding you and I, to listen to bedtime stories! Ah ! Wouldn't it be a joy to get wet kisses from their lovely pouts! Yes, I will love them but I will always love you more for You will always have that sweet part of my heart that I gave it away to you when we had met for the first time. 

Love Just Lasts !

I was surfing the internet just to avoid boredom while still watching the movie, 'My week with Monroe' at Star Movies. It's a depiction of what Monroe really underwent through in her life time behind the reels. The sex symbol of the bygone era wasn't just an eye-candy but a desolate soul that searched for a pair of eyes that could look beyond the layers of make-up on her face and could see who she was. Her search took her to experiment with different shades of life - love, pain, abuse, drugs, lust and perhaps a childhood not chosen by choice but circumstance. She was insanely popular but painstakingly fragile who longed for love till she breathed her last breath. 

It's sad and eerie at the same time to learn that every mortal who rose to fame and became a star, gazed by millions, has a tragedy underneath the surface. A pain of tremendous nature has strengthened them to endure all odds, to embrace a will to surpass sorrow and emerge brilliant like a shining light. Monroe was one among such stars.

Once the movie was over, I quickly dug out on Monroe on Google and read about her life. Tumultuous, it was. I kept on pondering over the movie and human behavior until I bumped into yet another lovely face- Audrey Hepburn. After Monroe, it was Hepburn & her story in wiki. 'Breakfast at Tiffany's and 'My Fair Lady' got immortalized by the beautiful Audrey Hepburn. Gorgeous would be such an understatement. Hepburn's life evoked curiosity in me and I started finding out more about her life. Like Monroe, she too had her struggles to find love and to surrender to its power of healing. I read some more about her life.  

It came to me as a surprise that her favorite poem was written by Rabindranath Tagore. To quench my thirst, I clicked on the link written over 'Unending Love', a poem which celebrates Love that is immortal and ever alive beyond the definition of time & space. I read it and read it twice. It's absolutely charming and those lines just reminds you of your love in life!

'Unending Love' is the latest entry into my list of favorites and here is the beautiful poem in the words of Tagore

'Unending Love'

I seem to have loved you in numberless forms, numberless times...

In life after life, in age after age, forever.

My spellbound heart has made and remade the necklace of songs

That you take as gift, wear round your neck in your many forms,

In life after life, in age after age forever.

Whenever I hear old chronicles of love, it's age-old pain,

It's ancient tale of being apart or together.

As I stare on and on into the past, in the end of emerge,

Clad in the light of a pole-star piercing the darkness of time:

You become an image of what is remembered forever.

You and I have floated here on the stream that brings from the fount.

At the heart of time, love of one for another.

We have played along side million of lovers, shared in the same

shy sweetness of meeting, the same distressful tears of farewell-

Old love but in shapes that renew and renew forever.

Today it is heaped at your feet, and it has found its end in you

The love of all man's days both past and forever;

Universal joy, universal sorrow, universal life.

The memories of all loves merging with this one love of ours-

And the songs of every poet past & forever.

Love, to me, is eternal and pure in essence, for it is divine and beautiful. Love never ends. You never stop loving because it always grows. From Monroe to Hepburn and perhaps all of us, we all are looking for love. But we are scared of many 'what if, is it and hows' that comes along this powerful feeling. 

I think it's important to let go of apprehension and embrace this lovely feeling and start believing in its power. Love will always draw you to the one who loves you. Love shall always unite us with Love! 

breezy evenings, drizzling panes, 

yellow cabs, off-white tabs, 

traffic unending, honking horns, 

towering heights, high rise homes, 

rickety buses, pot-holed roads, 

tired people, wired phones, 

unknown faces, familiar tracks, 

fleeting flyovers, passing trees, 

roaring runways, taxing planes, 

narrow alleys, screeching trolleys, 

changing status, extended queue, 

cold coffee from café new, 

boarding pass & id card, 

silent mouths & heavy hearts, 

teary eyes, weary sighs, 

holding eyes, waving hands, 

good-byes and kisses, 

hugs and smiles, 

airport evokes emotions wide !  

MOI MUMBAI

Jak-jomokor ekhoni bixhal prithivi
Aei Mumbai sohor

Jot zantrana aru zantrikotar kunu bixekh parthakya haytu nai

Haytu ase, moi najanu

‘maximum city’ khonor kahini kintu khubei ‘interesting’

Huniba Jodi kau’,

Xuna tenehole, pise ‘terrible’ buli aakhya nidiba

Taar agote ghoritu tumi adjust kori lua;

Mumbai hol ejoni mahila!

tai byasta, khubei byosta

din-rati ekakar kori tair petor puroni pur najai

aru najai tair gaar pora kesa ghamor gundha

o’thas jirani luar xomoi kon tair nai

kiyonu tai churchgate’ot breakfast tairi kori

dadar’ot malkinor flatot bason dhuwe

pratidine tiffin bonay babatur school

natuba sahabor officot delivery diye

hatot tair dupat xunali kharu paridhan kore

majot  plastic natuba kaacor heujiya suri

jen ‘sobo’ aru ‘navi-mumbai’r major

estern aru western suburb!

kopalot jiliki rua kachi junor phoot tu

jen haji alir utjal dargah sheriff

aru tar tolot jurloga tair daath selauri jur

aah ! thik worli-bandra sea-link!

Sea-linko’r  uporere par hoi

Dine lakh-lakh gaadi, xoru-dangor

Kiman? nuxudhiba ,

 sintaburor dore gaadibur hisabnaikiya

aru ki jana, traffic jam buli kole

tai bhoi nakhai, uhu, tair alopu bhoi nai

kiyono, tai je part-time kore

gadir khirikit tukuriyai tai bese

phool, putola aru balun

ketiyaba rup holai tai diye

akkhirbad notuba xaao’

kiyo, moi bhabi napau

red light bur tair babe hodai ‘notorious’

signal green hole tai ekhon taxi dhore

aru paigoi marine drive

thikei bhabisa tumi,

xagor parot bohi taiu kotha pate karubar logot

hukh-dukh, ghat-pratighat, hanhi-kandun

jen ranir necklace’ot ulomi thoka hira-mukuta!

Piyahot tair kontha xukai jai

Kintu mitha pani jen bislerir eta bottle

Aadha litre’or daam bees toka

Blouse’or major pora tai purse tu uliyai ane

Pise nai, tai kharas korar hamartha je nai

Mobile tu hothat baji uthe

Aru tai akou do’r mare

Malkinor phone, rati bule mehman ahibo

Tai City bus khonot japiyai uthe

Aru hapor dore mariyai dhore seator railing dal

bhiror majot jen tai ek adbhut amez bisari pai

tair kakhot laptop ulomai thio di roi

kunuba MNCr employee, nari-purukh

aru mobilot byosta jubok-juboti

busor bhirot hokolu homan

background’ot  bollywood’or  hit gaan

enginor xabda, gaan aru gadir horn

kiba jen notun xuror sristir sambhabona

aru eta kesemakesem gundha

maas! Kunubai anise masor kharahi

nohole mograr mala

bus-stop’ot naami tai akou khuj loi

aibar  tai begai goi gate’or kakhot roi

hobo pare tai kaam kora bai

kintu ID card khon je jaroori

AC Office’ot   tumi card swipe kora

Aru tai gate’or entry point’ot sign kore

Athoba budhra angulire sin diye

Kothatu kintu ekei jana

Loralorikoi tai saaf kore boga tiles

Aru dighal sliding khirikibur

Hara-musa kori machinor kapur bur mele

Aru byosta hoi pore eibar pakghorot

Veg, Non-veg, Chinese eya tai  buji  pai

Rooti-tarkari, maas aru mangsha

Tadka-daal aru ‘rice’ bonai ready hol

Eibar tai bonabo kheer, malkine koise

‘sugar-free’ dibi, health conscious hobo lage tu

Enei tai sahot seni nakhai

Tair kholir ziban tue dekhun ‘salt & pepper’

Seni kini janu paribo tai khabo ketiyaba?

Akou safa korise tair boga tiles aru prestige burner

Bhagori porise kintu tai rua nai

Do’ri- do’ri kaam bur hekh kore tai

Babutuk tuitionor pora anibo lagibo

Akou tai bus-stopole buli dor mare

Tai phepaise, bor koi phepaise

Stock marketot share’or daam utha-nomar dore

Tair bukur dhop-dhoponibur badhise-komise

Investment banking nohoi tair ziban tu

Eta hukan kah mari tai kadhe eti humuniyah

Ako hei ekei cityr busor jatra

Gaat lipit khai rua saree khonor dore rasta

Golibur sareer istri bhanga bhaj bur he jen

Aru kokalor khusonit anchol khonor dore

Rasta bure turning loi

Monole ahe Sanjay Gandhi national park

Borivili’r pora thane west’oloi, asorit !

Xandhiya kaam hekh korute soiman baje

Pise tai montur kotha nuhune

Kiyonu jabo lage juhu chowpatty?

Tat bohi tai malai kulfir moja  noloi

Enei juhur pani bur tair gaar rangor dore matiya

Aru hanging gardenot bohi tai baru koribo ki?

Kunuba eta deubare bhayekor ghorole jabo

Titwala ne kasara, kunuba eta jegah

Platform khon ek prakare tair ghar

Soi baji ponchas’or local khon praye xomoyote thake

Alop hakah mihala ek utejjana

Manuhor ek bibidh mela he jen ei platform

Akhon sinaki athos asinaki arab sagar !

Ketiya, kenekoi tai trainot uthe tai najane

Tai jane tai kot namibo

Etimadhye tair bhori dukhon godhur hoi ahise

Kiyo, taik nuhudhiba

Matra jani thua tair payal juror holoni

Bhorit ase edal adrisya hikali

Street light nai tu, heihe tumi dekha nupua

Sinta nokoriba,  

Tumi hoytu najana tai ejoni expert

Nohoi, mane

Degree tair nai, aru nai kunu title

Tair super-woman’u nohoi

Tai Mumbai, ajoni ‘veteran actress’

Jaar daagbur lukai thake

Make-up’or bohu prolepor talat

Kintu bhool nubujiba,

Tai dukh pabo pare, tair daag thakibo pare

Kintu tai roi jabo nuare

Karon, tai ratipua akou Mumbai hobo!

An eternal affair

It dawns upon me
that we had met before,
much earlier than eternity;
may be in centuries
that lay buried in time;
may be in times
ancient and divine;
in forms of both, yours and mine;
crossing rivers, traveling miles
we plunge, we revive
we cross our paths
not once, not twice
countless, says the wise;
in shapes we emerge,
and sizes that differ,
we meet,You and I,
knowingly and unknowingly;
across hills and plains,
beyond oceans and seas,
transcending the boundless sky,
we unite as us, again and again!