Christmas market

This is my first Christmas in Europe. I was really looking forward to it!.In many towns in Germany and Austria, Advent is usually ushered in with the opening of the Christmas market or "Weihnachtsmarkt".
The concept of a street market in the 4 weeks of Advent, first supposedly, originated in the Late Middle ages. These markets are generally held in the town square and adjacent pedestrian zones, the market sells food, drink, and seasonal items from open-air stalls, accompanied by traditional singing and dancing.

We went to the Esslingen Weihnachtsmarkt, which, this year was based on the theme of the "MittelAlt" or Middle Ages. We picked a Saturday evening and we were stormed by the crowds!. Never seen so many people at once in Germany!. The entire fest was held in the small town square.  The prime attraction for my son was the merry-go-around- he took 4 rounds on that!.

We  were joined by my distant cousin. Together, we sampled the famous "gluh wine" in both plain and apple flavors. Gluhwine is a hot(!!) red wine which is made with various spices and fruits. It was awesome!. I made up for missing the "svařák" (another hot wine) in Prague.

There were stalls selling all kinds of stuff- from woolen wear to home decor. 

Great way to keep your Coriander fresh.. and beautiful!

Simply cut away the roots till you are left with clean stems at the bottom. Fill a large cup with water  and dip the stems in. Leave it on the kitchen window sill. Thats it!.. Not only do they look beautiful and fresh, its easy to just pluck some leaves off, while you cook and they really last long this way!.

Don't waste those Turnip leaves!

I hate to waste food!. So, the other day when I was cutting up a turnip, I wondered if there was anything I could do with those leaves, without throwing them in the trash. So, I did some research online and sure enough, there were many suggestions for cooking turnip leaves. I selected one easy recipe, and threw in a few of my own ingredients and voila!, I got a really neat salad. 

So what did I do? First I just sauted finely shreded turnip leaves in melted butter. Once they get cooked, they get a lovely rich green colour and a weird taste. Next I seasoned that with salt and pepper, genorously sprinkled. Next I added this to a bowl of shreded carrots, cucumbers and paprika. Lastly, I drizzled an organic herb dressing and some sundried tomatoes with balsamic vinegar, on this. Yummy!

Our Big Fat Greek Eat-Out

Back in Germany in early August, the first big occasion that happened to come our way was our 5th wedding anniversary (phew!.. we made it!). Our simple plan was a quite dinner at a fine place, that was also kid friendly. We zeroed in on a Greek restaurant- AGRO, situated a few miles from our home. Now, Greek cuisine is literally Greek! and Latin to us!. But we wanted to savor a few delicacies of a different kind.

Before we went, we did a little research online as to what to order and what each term means. The names are all tongue twisters!. Tzatziki!, taramasalata!, melitzanosalata!.. it seems that there was a lot we wanted to try out!.

In the restaurant, we were served by the English speaking waitress, who helped select our meal and wine, and it was not at all disappointing!. We started off with an assortment of starters- grilled meat and vegetables with a variety of sauces. Tzatzitki was too plain for us- Indian raita is nicer!. But the taramasalata was supreme!. Supposedly made from fish eggs, it was something anyone in a Greek resto should order!. Next came the Greek salad with some amazing dressing that I couldn't get enough of the salad!. We were nearly full by now and main course was still to come!.

Main course was souvlaki for my husband and moussaka for me. Souvlaki was essentially grilled meat served on a skewer with rice/pommes and salad. Moussaka is a layered, cheesy baked dish made with eggplants!. They were both excellent but the size and stuff of the previous servings was too much already!. I could only nibble  at my dish!.

So will I go Greek again? Yes! but next time I will stick to one course only!. You can't have a five course meal in a Greek eat-out!. 

Eating out, in and around Jayanagar, Bangalore

1. The Other Cresent- This is a resto housed in an old judge's home. It was under rennovation when we visited it. The interiors were pretty ordinary- like a military hotel with cushioned chairs. The service was slow. The menu was surprisingly unique- living up to its continental tag. The menu was very well written and informative. The food (when it arrived)was the best part. It was relishing!. The chef did a great job!. Cost wise, it was moderate. All in all, I would definitely visit again-just for the unique food!.

2. Eurasia-We had some difficulty locating this place-it is tucked away from view by lots of trees!. There were no neon signs heralding the presence of the resto. It is also housed in something that looked like a remodelled house. Interiors were pleasent. Service was prompt and helpful. Food was yummy!. Cost was again moderate. Cant wait to go there again!

3. President's hotel- Ive been to Gufa twice before and I loved it both times. This time we were invited for a lunch party by vegetarian friends. The food was great!. I'm not a big fan of hotel buffets-but this one time was a really good spread.

4. Village, Soul of India- I got curious about this place when I was shopping at Jayanagar Central. Someone has rated this place to be the best veg resto in bangalore-so claims a huge hoarding in front of the place. We had to take 2 flights of escalators from the food court of the mall to finally reach the place. The place is done up very well- fitting of the theme. We had to first pay at the entrance, and then only go inside for the buffet. We went on a week day and it was about 400 bucks per person. Its free for very small kids. There was a huge party happening inside!. A huge group of people were busy playing "dandiya" in the center of the resto. Loud music was blaring from the speakers!. There was no high chair for my toddler. The buffet had a lot of variety-most of which were fairly ok. The  serving portions were really minuscule!. On the bright side, it was a effective way to ensure no food  would be wasted.There were other stuff like mehendhi/tatoos/puppet shows/ , but all for an extra price!. I wouldn't go there again- very overated place!.

5. Pizza Hut- There is an outlet in front of Sapna Book store in 5th block. We had some difficulty finding some parking place for our car in this busy shopping area. Service was excellent!. Food was great but somewhat pricey!(if you consider the size of the portions). But the place is extremely kid friendly- definitely a place I would consider if I have to eat out with my toddler.

6. Chutney Chang- This one is another buffet resto with a claim of the widest spread in the city. I   have eaten at their Church Street outlet and loved the experience. I expected this one to be no different-except that it was!. Food was just ok. Deserts were the only thing worth a second serving!. Not going there at all again.

7. 1947- Its right on top of a mall- so it has two great advantages- one, parking and two, great view of the city. Its also another veggie resto and is mainly focused on north Indian cuisine. Nice ambience- not great but pleasant. We ordered babycorn for starters and we were left searching for the babycorn in the "bhajji"!. But the rest of the meal was great- especially the naan and paneer currry- which was recommended by the waiter. The best part was the aam ka panna and the superb paan which came at an extra price!. Not a bad place for an occasional meal out.

8. Mainland China- I was really happy to find an outlet of Mainland China so close to home!. I took my family there, one saturday evening.

9. Subz-

If you are a vegetarian eating out in Europe..

I do love to cook!. But not 24 X 7 X 365 days!. There are days when I crave for someone to cook for me!. More than the cooking, its the cleaning after, that really puts me off!. So, this month, I came up with the proposal to eat out once a week.Not only will it give me a much-needed break from cooking, but also give us a chance to try out different types of cuisine. But I'm a vegetarian..
While at Den Haag, my sis-in-law got me to try out the local potato fries- the Dutch make better fries than the French!- is what I discovered!. I also tried out the Turkish favorite- falafel sandwich-awesome!.
In Germany, I tried out the Badische Schupfnudeln- the local potato noodle recipe.The Germans are the kings of potatos!. But my best experience so far, has been with pizzas. There is this lovely Italian resto in Stuttgart called Da Fernando. It has the best pizzas I've ever tasted. A must-eat for all food lovers- veggie or otherwise!. Another nice experience of eating out was at Vapiano, another Italian chain, all over Europe and Americas. Here I tried out their pastas- their special Thai pasta was mouth-watering!. However,their Olivo pasta was too drenched in olive oil for my liking!.

Maiden Oven!

For a first time oven user like me, an ordinary oven can be quite intimidating!. First, you wonder, how do I turn this thing on?. Then, we contemplate how long to "pre-heat"?. Then, we think about the equipment, how it will come out, if we are doing the right thing? etc. All this may seem silly for a seasoned baker, but for a novice- it can be the most difficult cooking problem one has ever faced!.
Anyways, I decided to overcome this "phobia" last sunday, by making my first "tandoori" dish- the ever famous Tandoori Chicken!. First I got my sis-in-law to give me some expert advice. And then I researched online for simple, easy-to-do recipes of this dish. The simplest and best search i could zero in on was this- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsb311KiG1U
The outcome was thankfully, reasonably good. Anyways, more importantly, I made my firsy steps into baking. Hopefully, I get better with time! 

TGIF-Thank God its Friday!

In Germany, I'm beginning to enjoy week"end" culture!.. There is no such concept in India for doctors. Of course, Sunday is a rest day, but it is not the same like getting a whole weekend off!. My husband is home by noon on fridays. Its the day of the week, he is most energetic about- "the weekend is here!". Also, the day when we are most likely to go out and have some fun!
So this weekend, we went to Stuttgart. No! not to that Indian store this time!. Did some proper shopping on King's street or Koenigstrasse (as the Germans call it), right it the middle of the city. Its a super place- so many people walking around, lots of brands on sale, lots of small eating joints and an occasional comedian or musician!. Its a perfect weekend pastime place- you can just walk along the cobbled street taking in the sights, or graze the lawns in front of the palace or steal a meal from the umpteen cafes on the road. Finally got done with some much-needed basic shopping in H&M.

We also met up with my hubby's friends in a quiet cafe off King's street- Kunstler bund. Lovely place for a quiet informal meeting with ol' friends!.Their Irish coffee was great as was their yogurt with fruits and honey. It had a lovely white and red theme, that i would love to emulate some where.

Paneer Pudina Curry

So, here's the first of my "experiments" at cooking in Germany!. I remember a few years ago, friends used to call my house the "lab", because I would make them sample all my home cooked recipes for ideas and opinions.  Anyways, I have come a long way since the days of the "lab" (hope).

So I had some pudina (mint) and some paneer that I had got at the Indian store in Stuttgart over the week end. That was the inspiration to combine the two!. I searched online for a paneer pudina curry recipe. I came across some starter recipes for tikkas but no gravy recipes.

My experiment begins with first preparing a base gravy, with some standard seasoning- jeera, red chilies  For the base i used onions, tomatos, pudina, almonds, cashews and peanuts.  After some shallow-fry cooking of these, I ground them all into a paste. In some cooking butter, I sautéed the paneer cubes. When they were done, I added the gravy base. Ten minutes later, I was done!. Tastes lovely with chapattis!

The Longevity Equation: Sex+Sleep=Long Life

Blue Zones..wondering what they are?.. well they are small geographical pockets inhabited by the world's longest lived populations. Here, they tell me, are the maximum number of people over 90, living in one place!.

Scientists think the key to long life might be garnered by the study of these populations.In fact, an extensive study is ongoing to derteminine how these pockets of populations live as long as they do.

Check out this link to know more...

http://www.aarpmagazine.org/health/longevityquest

Presently, life expectency in India is 62 years.. slightly more in females than males. A study showed that most health related costs in a person's life are in the last few years of his/her life. A huge amount of money is spent with little respite from the persistent suffering. 

The longeviety quest (as the study is called) is currently focussed on a tiny Greek island of Ikaria.

Here, they believe water from the hot springs might help  relieve joint pains/skin problems.Also, low levels of radon have been detected in the region- making scientists question if low levels of radiation might actually repair damaged DNA! And of course,people here susbide on a Mediterraen diet- which is well known for its health benefits. A locally made honey, drawn by bees from the pollen of thyme, has been attributed anti-oxidant and anti-senility activites!

The best part about the island is the character of the people. Although they have volcanic tempers, they supposedly, quickly subside!. They sleep at  midnight, wake up late and take frequent naps in between.  And here is the absolute winner- even people over 90! are sexually active!!

So the logical conclusion that scientists have drawn from the facts is-  SEX+SLEEP=LONG LIFE!!

In short, their analysis has 9 factors which are believed to be the secrets to a long and health life...

1.stop eating when you are about 80% full

2.Eat more veggies, less protein/processed foods

3.drink red wine in moderation!

4.have a sense of purpose in life

5. maintain a spiritual and belief system

6.Work less*** slow down and take vacations

7.make physical movement a vital part of life

8. have a healthy social network- in fact, having at least 2 good friends is suppose to add years to your life

9. make family a priority.

Kitchen Cabinet Cures

Remember the time when we were kids.. we always had grandmoms and moms fussing over us when we got a cold or loose motions or whatever..they always seem to have a cure for everything.. in their kitchens!. If you happened just to sneeze.. thats it.. they would rush off to the kitchen and cook up some concotion.. that what barely palatable.. but voila!.. it worked!

As adults, we never get those privileges. Now we wait 2-3 days (just like that.. doing nothing) for the cold to disappear.. then if it doesn't go away as scheduled.. pop in some OTC(over-the-counter) cold tablet.. wait.. wait.. fill the wastebasket to the rim with dirty tissues .. and then..finally.. heave a sigh of relief when it does go away.

Ever wondered what that good ole' home remedy contained..? that secret recipe passed down from mothers who got them from their mother's mothers' etc..?

Well in an effort to preserve these "kitchen cabinet cures" before they get lost forever.. i collected some and listed it down here for all to see.. here goes..

• Got a nasty cold?.. fret not..drink hot ginger tea every 2 hours.Or sample some hot veg/chicken soup (with extra pepper and ginger flakes). Hot milk with honey/ginger/pepper/turmeric also works well.
• Sore throat?... try salt water gargles and hot milk with turmeric.. works like magic.
• Boils bothering you?..make a paste of atta (wheat four) and milk and apply it regularly. Also, use a hot iron  on a hanky and press the hanky on the boil (the heat dissolves the boil).
• Loose motions?.. make a paste of poppy seeds and sugar and swallow it (don't try tasting it!).
• Burnt yourself while cooking a meal?...place a raw potato peel on the burn.
• Wound /cuuts?..apply haldi (turmeric powder).
• Burping troubles/ Excess Gas?..try a mixture of saunf (fenel), rock salt and jeera in water. also massage the abdomen and apply a hot water bottle to the area.
• Acidity?.. time tested recipe- buttermilk; also..banana.
• Had a meal that you suspect will make you throw up soon?.. no problem .. chew on some cardamon pods.. my mom swears by this.. she carries a box a cardamons on every trip.
• Cramps?.. Place the affected part on a iron/steel object!.. I really don't know how this works .. but it does// try it yourself..
• Hives?.. rub a brass ashtray on the part (as bizzare as it sounds it works!).. also kokum water.. applied on the part.
• Joint Pains?.. mash freshly cooked hot rice into a poultice and massage on the part.(superficial moist heat therapy).
• Toothache?.. dip a cotton ball into clove oil and apply on the part (only on the affected part). Also alum works just as well.
• Prickly heat?.. sandalwood paste in milk works llike magic.
• And this really tops my list of bizzare home remedies..a juice made of maize leaves can cure kidney stones!.. and my aunt swears by it!. and so do some doctors too!

An Ode to Coffee

Coffee..its simply irresistable..this tan coloured,slurpy beverage is a need in my life everyday. I prefer to have a piping hot "tumbler" of coffee in the mid afternoon.. after waking up from my power nap (read: siesta)..and i love to have it "south Indian "style..served in a standard sized stainless steel tumbler with a small steel bowl beneath it. My favorite thing about coffee is to watch the froth biuld up as i tranfer it from tumbler to bowl and back. I read somewhere, in order to get maximum froth on your coffee, one must first mix only a little milk into a glass with coffee powder and sugar and stir this vigourously and then only pour the remaining milk/boiling water. It works. Its amazing what100 ml of caffiene can do for you. I dont know if it all in the mind. But it really works..instantly all your fatigue wears off..you feel invigorated with new energy to make a fresh start(especially useful if you have spent your entire morning fruitlessly and want to make amends at mid-noon). I have my coffee slowly (like a seasoned wine taster)..taking in all the smell and flavour..its almost a disappointment when i reach the bottom!.But i keep a strict 1 glass a day policy.. and must wait for the next day afternoon for another period of romance with my favourite drink.