Paiyan Paartha Padalam

One thing which occurs in every man’s life (at least in the place where I grew) is the “Poonu Paarkum Padalam”. To say that I hate it would be the understatement of the year. I simply detest it and consider it the most uncivilized thing on earth. It could be a harrowing experience for the concerned girl. Well by gods grace I did not have to through it. (The true reason being I feared the terrible bajji and sojji that would be served, which I have to consume with a plastic smile pasted on my face)

I was in Singapore at that point of time. My wife had come to our place in Coimbatore along with her parents for “Paiyan Paarkum Padalam”. I heard from reliable sources that she had gobbled down half a dozen idlies, polished it off with a few helpings of Kesari and finally washed down everything with a cup of coffee. She had complimented my folks for the great food. Good Manners you see. :-)

I called up home and she spoke with me for some time. I can vouch that she could give all the criminal lawyers a run for their money with the kind of questioning skills she possesses. She had questioned me right from L.K.G class teacher’s name, (It was Lalitha Miss) to what I had for lunch. She decided that I was the right guy for her after the session :-)

Nothing much has changed now, I still answer to a lot of questions though, the nature of the question has changed. :-)

Republic Day Celebrations

A few weeks back we had republic day celebrations going on at office. Each bay was to be decorated to represent a particular state in India. Our theme was West Bengal.

One good thing about that is, I got to meet a lot of creative people who were bursting with ideas and made friends with them. This was quite helpful as I am new to the organization.

We had constructed a Howrah Bridge, Fisherman in a boat, Fisher woman selling fishes, Chat Stall, Darjeeling Tea Estate, Sunderbans etc. All out of thermo coal, chart paper, crepe paper and paints. We also made a Rangoli of the Calcutta Durga using coloured salt. It was real fun. Given below is a picture of the rangoli.

Spicy Carrot Toast

You would need

2 Medium sized Carrots – Grated.
2 Medium sized Onions – Finely Chopped.
1 Green Chilly – Finely Chopped.
Salt as per tatste.
Chilly Powder – Half a teaspoon.
Turmeric Powder – Quarter teaspoon.
Garam Masala – Half a teaspoon.
Lime – 1.
Cumin Seeds / Jeera - Half a teaspoon.
Cooking Oil – 2 Tea Spoons.
Butter – 50 Gm.
Bread a few slices.

Method

Pour oil in a non stick pan and add cumin Seeds & turmeric Powder.
After the seeds splutter add onions and chilly and fry till lightly done.
Add the carrots and keep them turning once in a while till they are cooked.
Add the chilly powder, garam masala powder and salt.
Cook for some more time on a low flame
Remove from flame and add the juice of lime and coriander and mix well.
Toast the bread slices and butter them if u need. U may skip the butter. It tastes as good.
Take 2 – 3 teaspoons of the carrot mixture and spread it evenly on one slice of bread and cover with another slice. You may cut in into triangles if needed.
Serve Hot.

This would resemble the bread toast that they would serve you in “Bangalore Iyengars Bakery”

You could add some roasted cashew nuts to the carrot mixture if needed

Thoughts

I have read some where people become lonely as they grow up the corporate ladder. I think it is true to a certain extent.

When I joined my first company after finishing college we were a big group. My buddies at college were placed along with me. So we had a great time. We used to make great ruckus. Our project manager used to ponder “Have I hired kids instead of professionals?”

Every Friday we used to go out for lunch and come back after 2 full hours. Plans for that would start from Friday morning and afternoons would be spent on discussing who gobbled up the major part of the dessert that we shared. Those were indeed fun filled days.

I am at a different organization now. The group here is smaller in size and the outings have also shrunk to once in two months or so. Boy, I miss those days.

Gen X Tamizhargal

Pongal was great. Wifey made good sakkarai / venn pongal. As a last minute offer Carrot Halwa was thrown in for free. :-)

In between the time spent shuttling across my aunts / in laws / cousins place, one program caught my interest on Vijay TV. It was program in which Gnani / Kanimozhi / Sujatha shared their views about gen x Tamizh samudhayam

People were picked at random and questioned on the Tamil equivalent of common English words like Dollar / B.A. History / Ticket / Lipstick etc. No one knew the answers. It was really pathetic. I guess Tamil is better preserved in foreign countries like Sri Lanka / Singapore / Malaysia.

They mentioned the current generation has lost all its dreams / aspirations to Silicon Valley and they showed clippings of a few IT Majors. It was true to a certain extent.

Though I did not learn tamizh at school my patti ensured that I knew how to speak/read tamizh properly. I owe all my tamizh knowledge to her. She kindled my interest, and I started off with kumudham / kalki and progressed to Ponniyin Selvan, Chakravathi Thirumagan etc. Right now I am reading Nala Bagam by Thee Ja.

Thattai Chat

To validate my blog title I would post a recipe. It’s a finger food.

Time
10 Mins Apporx

You would need

Split Roasted Peanuts with their skin removed – 75 - 100 Gms
Onions – 2
Juice of Lime – 1
Red Chilly Powder – ½ Tea Spoon
Salt as per Taste
Chopped Coriander Leaves
Thattai Murukku – 1 Packet

Method
Chop onions finely and mix all the above mentioned ingredients in a bowl. I guess most of you know Thattai Murukku. U get small ones in most of the shops these days. Arrange the thattai murukku on plate and put some peanut salad on top of it.

When you pop it into your mouth it’s a melody if flavors. South India’s answer for the northie paapdi chat. U can subistitue thattai murruku with roasted Lijjat papad if you are calorie conscious. This makes a great hit as a cocktail snack / on a rainy evening. Try it out this week end.

Note:- Split roasted peanuts are available across all food world outlets / Nilgiris. As a variation you add some grated carrots / pineapple cubes. It tastes good that way too.

Then and Now

Then

In my formative years my father ensured that I prepared well for my exams. I had to recite out 1857 war of independence / Formation of North West and South East Monsoons / Newton’s Law / Wordsworth etc. to perfection until he was satisfied. I would dread those sessions.

It didn’t end there. There was a post exam ritual, where the answers I had given were cross checked with the text book and I was graded then and there. The post exam scenario at home would be some thing like this

Appa : (After examining my Math Question paper) En da 2 mark section la fifth answer mark panittu varala ?

Me : (meekly) avasarathula marandhuten pa

Appa : Unna kelvi kekka aal illama pochu da !!!

Me : (Thinking Ithanai kelvi kettutu idha vera solraya nee !!) Next time nyabagama pannaren pa. Sorry pa.

Now

My sister is in her final year of school and the post exam scenario at home now

Appa : Exam epaadi ezhudhi irukke ?

Sis : Kai (hand) ala dhan pa.

Appa : En ponnu enna samarthiyama badhil solra paru

Fathers always love their daughters regardless of what ever they do :-)

Prestige Cooker as “Pongal Seer”

My cousin got married a few months back. She is based at Bangalore. Since pongal is fast approaching and its her first pongal after marriage, her mother / my aunt who is based at Chennai was discussing the logistics with me.

My Aunt informed me that, she is noooooot getting the traditional “Vengala Paanai” . For the uninitiated it’s a pot made of bronze which was used in olden days to cook rice. Instead she is getting a brand new stainless steel prestige pressure cooker for her darling daughter. New age MIL!!! I was awestruck by her creative thinking.

Incidentally it happens to be our first pongal after marriage. Hope I don’t get a Kenstar microwave with a ready to eat packet (Heat & Serve) of MTR Chakkarai Pongal Mix from my in laws. :-)

I would still prefer the Vengala Paanai and shouting “Pongalo Pongal” on the top of my voice which I used to enjoy a lot as a kid.

Speaking about all this makes me remember the last pongal I celebrated in Singapore along with my friends. We made chakkarai pongal in an electric rice cooker and made maa kolam using white and red oil paints. It was good in a way.

Heartfelt Thai Thirunaal wishes to you folks out there

Red Roses and Love - Is there really a connection ?

One of my friends fell in love some time back and he meets his lady love for breakfast every day morning. This had been happening for quite some time. Recently I heard him mention that he gets a red rose for her each day.

All I could remember was the film "Dil Chahta Hai" where sonali's boy friend would get her a heart shaped ballon every single day and Saif laughing at it saying "Ek heart shaped ballon har roz" :-)). ROTFL.

Red Roses and Love - Is there really a connection ? I am clueless.

I know my friend would be grinding his teeth when he reads this post and curse me with choicest expletives

My First Post

It was quite some time before the blog bug bit me. I used to visit some blogs and was fascinated by the way people narrate their every day experiences. So I was contemplating (sheer laziness to put it in other words) about starting a blog. Finally I managed to muster enough courage to start one and here it is. I have taken the first step of the long journey and let us see where it leads me to.