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.