#Veganuary: Day 3 (All meals)

I’m going to keep this short. It may become a little repetitive. But anyway, here goes my next post. 

Breakfast was dosa again. But my mother whipped out some spice-filled, authentic coconut chutney to go with it. The combination can never go wrong. If you haven’t already tried it, give it a shot. 

For lunch, the meal was simple but special. My mother made some pulao. It’s a mixed vegetable rice that is a dish in itself. Slightly different from the Paella in Spain, but very much similar in appearance. Sometimes you even add some cinnamon to it. It adds a unique flavour. There was salad as well with juicy tomatoes, onions, radish and carrots seasoned with lime. To add a little twist, we ate it with crispy Yam chips from our local chips store – Ganga Hot Chips. He has some good varieties of chips that you need to try out. Well, it was a healthy meal, indeed. 

Incidentally, day 3 was also my grand aunt’s birthday according to the Indian calendar. We usually buy her, her favourite sweets and savouries. This to round, we were determined to find vegan versions of them. And we succeeded. 

We found many websites that sell vegan items. One such site is Terra Earthfoods. They have a a good collection of vegan snacks, breads, sweets and chips. We ordered the kaju (cashew) katli. It’s not made with ghee. But with almond milk. They come packs of 6. The pieces are big. But what’s more important is that they taste no different from their milk counterparts. Just a slight, negligible aftertaste. But otherwise, it’s good to go. And completely satiating the sugar craving for vegans. 

We also got a pack of Brown rice thattai. It’s crispy and makes for a a healthy evening snack, especially since it’s not made with all purpose flour either. 

Do check out their website. They have an online store and three walk-in stores in Chennai. Their variety is impressive.

I must confess, a vegan diet comes at an expensive price. But it’s worth it when you’re doing it for the ethical reasons. 

The dinner menu saw dosa soda creep it’s way in again. This time with podi. 

Hope you’re liking my posts. Do write about your experiences in the comments section. 

See you tomorrow!

#Veganuary: Day 2 (Breakfast, lunch, snack time)

Day 2: Breakfast, lunch and snack time.

Sorry for a late posting. There was too much work today. Anyway, here is today’s update.

Breakfast was podi dosa again. No change there. I am a killer for crispy, hot dosas and can have them for a lifetime. 

For lunch, we had a combination. My sister ordered some salad from Subway. It had only the mustard sauce and a little bit of chilli. It was healthy and delicious. 

My mother prepared phulkas (rotis) and cauliflower curry. It was thin gravy with peas and tomato. It is tangy and spicy and when paired with rotis, it leaves you asking for more. Then I had rice with yellow dal.

While I was full till my nose after lunch, by snack time I was again scrambling for something in my kitchen shelves. My sister and I then had multigrain bread with vegan Tomato pesto and vegan cheese. The pesto and cheese was a gift from some German friends. I am hoping to find them in Chennai too. 

Well, that’s all for now! See you soon!

A HAPPY NEW YEAR NOTE FROM ME!

Hello everyone!

Happy New Year! 🙂

2016 has been a busy year. I rarely got time to post content only for my blog except in the last few months. But this year, I promise to be more regular. Many of you have written to me saying that my content is thought-provoking and worth a read. There is no greater joy than having my readers write to me with positive feedback.

So to ensure that all of you have a little something from me more often, I have downloaded the WordPress app. I can now upload snippets and short travel encounters. It makes traveloguing a lot easier too.

I’ll be beginning with some tit-bits from my 2.5 week-long Euro-trip in 2016. What I did, where I went, who I met, what I ate (or rather managed to) and my experiences. If you’re planning a trip there, I hope my travel journeys will be of help to you to avoid the mistakes I made and at the same time, relish the pleasures like I did.

Hope you have an amazing year ahead! Keep reading 🙂 A big thank you for your support 🙂

PS: All the photographs on my blog are my own. They are protected by copyright. Please do not download them for any purpose. It is strictly prohibited.

 

LEARNING TO BE PATIENT FROM 8-YR-OLDS

Being a teacher isn’t an easy job when you’re averse to the idea of children. The noise, the tantrums, the mischief, the pranks and perhaps, even the inquisitive mind, can make children a difficult lot to handle if you’re low on patience. And yet, teachers stick on. They tolerate the naughtiness and the squeaky voices and sometimes, even miss it in the rather mundane, sophisticated company of organised, well-mannered adults. They stay not simply because they need to teach the ‘future generation’. It is the image of those innocent faces, curious eyes, oily ponytails and carefree smiles that makes them want to stay. It is in the little hurdles that they cross that a teacher experiences unmatched happiness. And the love received is multi-fold that you could never walk out of that classroom even on a bad day. 

UNCERTAINTY

Uncertainty.

They say that change is constant. But who’re we fooling? Uncertainty is.

It hits you like a cloud burst on a summer morning,

Leaving you numb, shaken and motionless,

Plunging you in blinding darkness.

A parched tongue,

A lump in your throat,

A stomach churn,

A sinking boat.

When the rosy pink turns to a pale white,

You wonder, if it finally was,

Worth the fight.

 

Uncertainty.

The unwanted visitor

Who knocks at your door,

To tell you blatantly,

Family is one less than four.

You pause, you stagger, you scream, you fall,

What’s that you said about standing tall?

 

Uncertainty.

Its destiny playing an unfair game,

Forcing you down memory lane.

Taking the road back to home,

Asking you why you live alone?

Urging you to cut the distance,

Trying hard to knock some sense.

Bringing you back to family and friends,

Making you wonder if it had to end?

TO THAT NARROW-MINDED PERSON?

We’ve known each other since the time I learnt the alphabet. He’s heard me sing my rhymes animatedly and I’ve seen him zoom around the classroom with a Hot Wheel car. He’s poked fun at me combing my Barbie’s blonde curls and I’ve teased him about his WWF cards and Pokemon tazos. But before you go all ‘awwww’ and assume that this is the beginning to a cute love story and bring out the popcorn to hear it all, I’m going to burst your bubble.  He isn’t my boyfriend but my guy best friend. And before your narrow mind brushes it off as being the same thing, stop. Guy best friends exist. They belong to a species different from boyfriends. And their life span is always longer than your romantic relationship. 

AN INTERVIEW WITH THE MOHAN VEENA PLAYER

Chennai: Amid the chaos of big and small black guitar cases, a neatly wrapped dotara (Baul instrument) hanging from a pink wall, traditional dry grass mats and a cot, the distinct and melodic tunes of the rare Mohan veena reverberate. Swiftly running his fingers on this 20-string instrument is Poly Varghese, a Kerala-born musician known to be among the niche group of artists who play the modified Archtop guitar which was handcrafted by his guru Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt. Varghese’s long journey as a Carnatic mridangist slowly ended after his chance encounter with the unique instrument.

BUST THE GLOOM!

In response to The Daily Post’s weekly photo challenge: “Happy Place.”

The chilly plantations in Thekkady were a pleasant change from the scotching heat in Chennai and I call it my happy place because I really liked the vibes I got after revisiting this picture. It’s a beautiful place and a must visit to everyone who likes and enjoys the peace and calm of nature. – Thekkady, Kerala.

STANDING TALL

In response to The Daily Post’s weekly photo challenge: “Boundaries.”

Standing tall got a new name? Boundaries never did matter for trees, right? – Christmas at Chennai City Centre, 2012.

NAILED IN TIME

In response to The Daily Post’s weekly photo challenge: “Grid.”

When tessellation and grids come together at a point in history, it makes you stop and take a picture. What’s really fascinating is how much attention artisans, rulers and people paid to the minute details. Doors today seem to lack that intricacy and uniqueness, but back then, the door itself had an identity. Presenting to you, the Daulat Khana. – Jodhpur, Rajasthan.