Wednesday, May 18, 2005
Abhi's Corner
To all the Choton, Gul-Gul, Khoka, Laltu, Gogol, Tutu, Bubu, Khokon, Bhonda...et al
This post is part of an ongoing series. In these pages, I will attempt to alert people to a great injustice that is being perpetrated upon the sons of Bengal. So you thought they were wimpy to begin with. Far from it, my friend. Their current state is a result of years of conditioning by the oppressors - namely the women. By using a variety of psychological weapons, they have reduced these fine men to what you see today.
Today we focus on the first weapon in their hands - the NICK-NAME.
When a son is born into a Bengali household, he is gifted with a resonant, sonorous name. Bengali names are wonderful things. They convey majesty and power. A man with a name like Prasenjit, Arunabha or Sukanta is a man who will walk with his head held high, knowing that the world expects great deeds from him, which was why they bestowed the title that is his name upon him.
But it simply will not do for these men to get ahead of themselves. Their swelling confidence needs to be shattered. How can one go about it? This task is left to the mothers of these lads and is accomplished by the simple act of referring to the boy, not by his fine-sounding real name, but by a nickname which Shakti Kapoor would be ashamed to answer to.
Their are some rules for creating nicknames, which need to be followed. They are:
- Nicknames must have no connection to the real name. "Arunabha" cannot be called "Arun". No, for that would be logical, and such things are anathema in the world of women. Instead he shall be called "Bhombol". If possible, the nickname and real name must have no letters in common, but an ancient alphabet proves to be the constraining factor there.
- Nicknames must be humiliating. If you are a tall strapping boy, with a flair for soccer, an easy charm and an endearing personality, then you shall be nicknamed - "Bhondu". And every time, you have set your sights on a girl, and are on the verge of having the aforementioned lass eat out of your hand - your mother will arrive & pronounce loudly - "Bhondu" - Bari eso. The ensuing sea of giggles will drown out whatever confidence you had earned from that last winning free-kick.
- A nickname must refer in some way to a suitably embarassing incident in your childhood that you would give your arm and leg to forget. If it took you a little too long to shed your baby fat, then years of gymming will not rid you of the nomenclature - "Motka". If your face turned crimson when you cried as a toddler, you will be called "Laltu". When you turn 40, your friends' children will call you "Laltu Uncle". Even age will not earn you the right to be taken seriously thereafter.
- Different members of the family will make up different nicknames - each more embaressing than the preceding one. If one member of the family calls you Piklu, then another will call you Mitul, and another will call you Jumbo. The humiliation multiplies.
- You will always be introduced by your nickname, until people forget you had a Real Name. Ranajoy might have taken on a gang of armed men single-handedly, but Toton really didn't have a chance. After a point Toton will completely take over the beaten body of Ranajoy, weighed down by the pressure of a thousand taunts.
- This strategy is surprisingly effective. Ask yourself - would you take Professor 'Rintu' seriously? Or put much weight by the opinion of Dr. 'Bubai'? Or march into battle under the command of General 'Thobla'?
- The power of the nickname has scarred the psyche of Bengali men everywhere. It follows them like a monkey on their backs. That too, a monkey with a flair for slapstick, that was gifted to them by their own mothers.
That, dear Bong friends, is Step No.1 of their grand plan. I must leave now before they realise I am telling you all this. Step No.2 of the plan shall be revealed in the next post. Now let me make my escape. But wait! There's no way we can let you go now - you've seen too much. Not before you answer the question... "Tomar daak naam ki, Khoka?"
The crowd waits with bated breath in anticipation of the great warrior being hoisted by his own petard. They lick their chops hungrily. But tonight is not their night. He stands tall and straight and a smug smile plays on his lips. From his lips come the words -"Mazhi aai Bangali nahee" (my mother is not a Bengali) .
And he survives to fight another day.
Wednesday, May 11, 2005
PAN ASIAN CUISINES
Fine Dining Trends
Asian cuisines are no longer limited to 'Far Eastern' fare. In fact, cuisines from lands as varied as Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Korea are fast becoming an integral part of global lifestyles. Intercontinental Eros Executive Sous Chef, RAJDEEP KAPOOR prepares an awesome spread for FnL readers, with Pan-Asian foods that are representative of today's fastest-growing cuisine category.
There's no simple way of defining the cuisine cultures of the largest and most diverse continent on earth. In Southeast Asia, for instance, the main entrée and side dishes are often blended into a one-pot meal, which may be a stew, soup, sauced noodles, or fried rice with onions, tofu, chillies, leftover meat, vegetables, or just about anything available with the cook - served with a spicy condiment. The entire exercise, however, is never random; it involves a need to create a balance of tastes and textures…
Nasi Goreng
Topped up with a fried egg, this South East Asian fried rice is often served as breakfast, lunch and dinner! Rice being the staple diet in many Asian diets - Malay, Nyonya, Indonesian and Thai. Accompanied by chicken or prawn curry, satay, fiery garlic sauce and prawn crackers on the side, it makes for a substantial meal.
Kaeng Masaman Kai
The melting pot that South East Asia is, this particular curry, the Chicken Matsaman Curry, is of 'mussalman' or Islamic origins, and probably owes its flavour to early Portuguese influences.
Prawn in Green Curry
Coconut milk is the rich base for many Thai curries, such as this popular sea food variation - Prawn in Green Curry.
Tempura
Tempura is made by deep-frying vegetables, fish and shellfish. This dish too owes its origins to the Portuguese missionaries of the 16th century. A popular fast food in Japan and South East Asia, tempura is often sold hot sold from sidewalk stalls and roaming pushcarts!
Satay
This Malay delicacy is usually served with hot and sweet peanut sauce. Satay, or charcoal barbequed skewers of marinated meat, is often eaten with cucumber and ketupat or palm leaf-wrapped rice cubes.
Phad Thai Noodles
A signature Thai dish, Phad Thai is Thai-style fried noodles.
Som Tom & Glass Noodle Salad
Som Tom is a Thai-style green papaya salad, while Glass Noodle Salad is an Indonesian specialty. South East Asian salads are usually seasoned with salt or fish sauce, lime juice and chillies.
Published in IMAGES FnL, May'05
SUMMER COOLERS
Now that our legendary summer is truly upon us with a vengeance, is the heat gettin' to ya? No problemo amigos! Bar and Beverages Expert, SANDEEP VERMA churns out refreshing summer coolers - fruity mocktails, chilled shakes and healthy smoothies - the good 'ol Indian way! Here he shares some of his best summer concoctions for FnL readers to try out at home.
1. Apple Cinnamon Mojito
This fragrant mocktail is put together with apple and lemon chunks, mint leaves, Mojito and cinnamon syrup on crushed ice - topped up with apple juice and garnished with cinnamon sticks and apple slices. For a cocktail, just add Bacardi.
2. Masala Martini Mocktail
This one guys, has to be tasted to be believed! It's the best desi-ishtyle mocktail I've ever come across. Coriander, mint leaves, Worcestershire and Tabasco sauce, lime and guava juice all muddled together with ice chunks. For a Masala Martini add vodka or gin; and for a Masala Margarita add tequila!
3. Virgin Plasma Mary
A variation on Bloody Mary, this one is made with crushed pepper corn, Worcestershire and Tabasco sauce, roasted cumin powder, chopped dill and tomato juice. Garnish the drink with a slice of cucumber and a cherry tomato cut and rolled into pepper. Add peppered vodka for a fiery cocktail.
4. Junebug Cooler
The kids will just love this full-flavoured drink. Stir together melon syrup, lime and pineapple juice with just a touch of orange juice, and garnish with a honeydew melon slice. Add tequila, vodka or gin for a fruity cocktail.
5. Sandeep's Chioce: Health Sips
These original Verma creations are summer health drinks that are a meal in themselves. His Fresh Fruit Shake is a rich blend of strawberries, kiwis, papayas, orange juice, a little pineapple juice, yoghurt and milk. The awesome Apple Cucumber Sorbet on the other hand is a smoothie made by blending yoghurt, a hint of vanilla ice cream, half a cucumber, apple syrup and apple juice.
"Colours and flavours - that's what summers are all about," declares Sandeep. Cheers to that!
1. Apple Cinnamon Mojito
This fragrant mocktail is put together with apple and lemon chunks, mint leaves, Mojito and cinnamon syrup on crushed ice - topped up with apple juice and garnished with cinnamon sticks and apple slices. For a cocktail, just add Bacardi.
2. Masala Martini Mocktail
This one guys, has to be tasted to be believed! It's the best desi-ishtyle mocktail I've ever come across. Coriander, mint leaves, Worcestershire and Tabasco sauce, lime and guava juice all muddled together with ice chunks. For a Masala Martini add vodka or gin; and for a Masala Margarita add tequila!
3. Virgin Plasma Mary
A variation on Bloody Mary, this one is made with crushed pepper corn, Worcestershire and Tabasco sauce, roasted cumin powder, chopped dill and tomato juice. Garnish the drink with a slice of cucumber and a cherry tomato cut and rolled into pepper. Add peppered vodka for a fiery cocktail.
4. Junebug Cooler
The kids will just love this full-flavoured drink. Stir together melon syrup, lime and pineapple juice with just a touch of orange juice, and garnish with a honeydew melon slice. Add tequila, vodka or gin for a fruity cocktail.
5. Sandeep's Chioce: Health Sips
These original Verma creations are summer health drinks that are a meal in themselves. His Fresh Fruit Shake is a rich blend of strawberries, kiwis, papayas, orange juice, a little pineapple juice, yoghurt and milk. The awesome Apple Cucumber Sorbet on the other hand is a smoothie made by blending yoghurt, a hint of vanilla ice cream, half a cucumber, apple syrup and apple juice.
"Colours and flavours - that's what summers are all about," declares Sandeep. Cheers to that!
Published in IMAGES FnL, May'05
MORNING MEALS
Global Breakfast Trends
Breakfast isn't called the most important meal of the day for nothing. Making time for eating a hearty morning meal is key to a healthy life. People the world over start their day with a nutritious meal to help them get through their day. Intercontinental Eros Executive Sous Chef, RAJDEEP KAPOOR takes FnL readers on a tour of what people around the world like to see on their breakfast plates.
"The general trend," says Chef Kapoor "is towards healthy and balanced meals that are high on protein and fibre content, low on fats and have the required carbohydrates too. Protein comes from eggs, milk and cheese; fibre from fruits and cereals; and carbohydrates from fruits and juices. People are spoilt for choices today, whether in juices (sweet lime, watermelon, carrot and spinach…), cereals (muesli, rice flakes or shredded wheat) or even in milk, which could be skimmed, toned, full cream or even flavoured!" All in all, global citizens prefer fresh fruits, cereals and milk or milk products early in the course of their ordinary workday.
ASA GOHAN: MORNING RICE
A typical Japanese breakfast, or asa gohan as it is traditionally called, is always fresh and lightly cooked. There is the mandatory sushi rice, popular in many Asian countries, which is eaten with miso soup, seaweed flakes, gomae or spinach flavoured with kikkoman sauce and sesame seeds, boiled eggs with donburi sauce, lightly grilled salmon on a bed of cabbages, fresh fruits and the quintessential pot of Japanese green tea. The meal, which is extremely low-fat, is mostly steamed and pan grilled so that there is very little amount of cooking involved.
Miso Soup
The Japanese begin their day with a fortifying bowl of miso soup - miso is a rich, salty group of condiments that characterises the essence of Japanese cooking. The soup is traditionally eaten with seaweed flakes. In Japan, various kinds of miso are prepared and evaluated much the same way fine wines and cheeses are judged.
A CONTINENTAL SPREAD
Over in the continent, breakfast traditionally means bread or rolls with butter or preserves, taken with coffee, tea or hot chocolate. Scandinavians, Germans and Austrians tend to start their day with a large variety of cereals, breads, cold meats, cheese, yoghurt, fruit and fruit juices, as well as tea, coffee or milk. The Dutch occasionally add a boiled egg or a little salami to their bread menu.
Breakfast Rolls
Bread and rolls are really big in the continent. They range from croissants and crumpets to assorted buns, Danish breads, multi-grained breads and whole wheat breads that are eaten with butter, honey, jam or marmalade. Soft and sweet little breakfast muffins are also very popular, they come with blueberries, bran, raisin or countless other flavours.
TRADITIONAL ENGLISH BREAKFASTS
The British Isles are famous for their multi-course breakfasts. Coffee, tea, milk, hot cocoa, eggs, wholegrain cereals or porridge with reduced fat milk, low-fat yoghurts topped with fruit, fruit juices, wholegrain breads, bacon or sausage are all standard items. And there is absolutely always toast. Americans have historically inclined toward the English tradition of substantial breakfasts, which first crossed the Atlantic with the Puritans.
Bacon & Eggs
A wide variety of meats is the traditional English favourite - bacons, sausages, grilled kidneys and mutton chops. There are also eggs in profusion, served with grilled tomatoes or mushrooms. A healthy yet hearty meal is often put together with grilled sausages, lean bacon, poached eggs and grilled vegetables.
Whether you barely grab a bite on your way to work or indulge in a leisurely multi-course affaire served from silver salvers - breakfast is the only way to start your day!
Published in IMAGES FnL, April'05
NO MILK!
Lactose Intolerance
Lactose intolerance, or milk intolerance, is the inability to digest lactose, a kind of sugar found in milk and milk products. Though there is no known way of preventing the development of lactose intolerance, removing milk and dairy products from the diet usually improves symptoms. FnL brings you various options for charting out a non-dairy diet.
Eliminating milk from the diet can result in a deficiency of calcium and protein, which is why a protein and calcium enriched milk substitute is a necessity. Good alternatives are soy, rice and nut milks.
SOYMILK
Soymilk is the best dairy substitute for lactose intolerants. Since it is made from beans, soymilk contains fibre, where dairy milk has none. It's also a good source of protein; it is low in saturated fat and is cholesterol-free. Although it is not a good natural source of calcium, brands that have been fortified with calcium is your best choice in the market. Soymilk is sold plain as well as in many flavoured varieties. It is available in most supermarkets, but for the widest selection of flavours and types, shop at a health-food store.
Nutrition Pill
Per serving of plain soymilk contains:
Energy 71kcal
Protein 7gm
Fat 3gm
Calcium 300mg
RICE MILK
Rice milk is 100 percent lactose free, and a healthy and refreshing alternative for regular milk. Made from brown rice, water, sweeteners (such as maple syrup) and flavoured with vanilla essence, rice milk substitutes well for fat-free milk. Although not a nutrient for nutrient substitute for milk, parallel sources of protein and fat in your diet might be a good idea. In addition to drinking it straight from a glass, rice milk can be poured on breakfast cereals or puréed with frozen berries or bananas for a refreshing smoothie.
Nutrition Pill
Per serving of plain rice milk contains:
Energy 80kcal
Protein 1gm
Fat 0gm
Calcium 150mg
NUT MILK
In many vegetarian societies, nuts form a staple diet. All nuts have substantial reserves of protein, while nuts such as almonds contain good amounts of calcium. Other nuts like walnuts and cashews also contain calcium. Almond milk is made by soaking the nuts overnight and blending them with water and maybe sweeteners and vanilla for added flavour. The addition of bananas makes a richer milk. Rotating the nuts can give you a variety of lactose free milk options. A calcium enriched variation is made with almonds, cashews, water and maple syrup.
Nutrition Pills
Per 100gm of almonds contain:
Energy 580kcal
Protein 21gm
Fat 50gm
Calcium 250mg
Per 100gm of cashews contain:
Energy 570kcal
Protein 18gm
Fat 45gm
Calcium 40mg
Per 100gm of walnuts contain:
Energy 650kcal
Protein 15gm
Fat 60gm
Calcium 98mg
NON-DAIRY PRODUCTS
Choosing lactose-free milk products in your daily diet may be helpful. Tofu is a very good alternative for paneer or cottage cheese.
FERMENTED MILK PRODUCTS
Fermented milk products can usually be tolerated. Buttermilk, yoghurts and cheeses have less lactose than milk. Recent research shows that yoghurts may be a good source of calcium.
FLAVOURINGS & TOPPINGS
Style up your daily milk substitutes with interesting toppings; churn out desserts and puddings with a variety of essences and flavourings.
A concern for people with lactose intolerance is getting enough calcium in a diet that includes little or no milk. Make sure that you eat enough green vegetables, such as broccoli and cabbages, and fish, such as salmon and sardines, which are excellent sources of calcium. Consultation with a doctor or dietician may be helpful in deciding whether any dietary supplements are needed.
Published in IMAGES FnL, April'05
WINO FOREVER!
Here with a Loaf of Bread beneath the Bough,
A Flask of Wine, a Book of Verse – and Thou
Beside me singing in the Wilderness –
And Wilderness is Paradise enow.
– Omar Khayyam, The Rubaiyat
Ah wines! And just where and how does one begin to talk about these greatest of mankind's creations? Does one begin with the aroma or the bouquet? From the grape's origin or its colour? With the viticulturalist or the vinification (…and in case you need to expand on your wine vocab, a 'viticulturalist' is a wine maker and 'vinification' is the production technique…)? Bar and Beverages Expert, SANDEEP VERMA tells FnL readers that the best way to get started is to simply sip a cupful and let the full flavour of the wine roll off one's palate!
- FORTIFIED WINES
Martini Rosso
Vermouth
Produce of Italy; 750ml
Harveys Bristol Cream
Sherry
Produce of Spain; 750ml
- TABLE WINES
Red Wines:
Robert Giraud; Cépages
Cabernet Sauvignon, Vintage 2001
Produce of France; 750ml
Baron de Mornag
Cuvée Prestige
Produce of France; 750ml
Carlo Rossi
California Red
Produce of USA; 750ml
Jacob's Creek
Shiraz Cabernet, Vintage 2002
Produce of Australia; 750ml
Sula Vineyards
Cabernet Shiraz, Vintage 2002
Produce of India; 750ml
Riviera, Chateau Indage
Red Wine
Produce of India; 750ml
White Wines:
Blason Timberlay
Bordeaux, Vintage 1999
Produce of France; 750ml
Robert Giraud; Cépages
Chardonnay Colombard, Vintage 2002
Produce of France; 750ml
Barton & Guestier
Chablis, Vintage 2003
Produce of France; 750ml
Robert Giraud; Cuvée Giraud
White Table Wine
Produce of France; 750ml
Carlo Rossi
California White
Produce of USA; 750ml
Wolf Blass
Chardonnay, Vintage 2002
Produce of Australia; 750ml
Jacob's Creek
Semillon Chardonnay, Vintage 2003
Produce of Australia; 750ml
Rosé Wines:
Mateus
Mateus Rosé
Produce of Portugal; 750ml
- SPARKLING WINES
Sparking Wines:
Moët & Chandon
Cuvée Dom Pérignon, Vintage 1992
Produce of France; 750ml
Vve Pelletier & Fils
Champagne
Produce of France; 1.5l
Laurent Perrier
Champagne
Produce of France; 750ml
GH Martel & Co.
Champagne
Produce of France; 750ml
Blue Nun
German Sparkling Wine with 22 Carat Gold Leaf
Produce of Germany; 750ml
Henkell Trocken
Dry Sekt
Produce of Germany; 750ml
Chateau Indage
Marquise de Pompadour
Produce of India; 750ml
Published in IMAGES FnL, April'05
