Toshin Chocolatier Patissier

Indulge in delightfu sweet surprises at this patisserie





Toshin Chocolatier Patissier, Mumbai's newest artisanal patisserie, is all set to bring to you a range of new products in the New Year. As a part of his new year's resolution, Chef Toshin Shetty has vouched to surprise patrons with artisanal ice creams and sorbets, which will be made available by February 2016. Trained at a popular Italian university, Chef Toshin will introduce classic ice cream flavours like Pistachios, Fresh Vanilla, Dark Chocolate, Caramel and Hazelnut to please your sweet tooth. These flavours have been carefully crafted and improvising upon to bring you a taste that you won't forget easily. Chef Toshin aims to leave you satisfied with every scoop of ice cream presented to you at Toshin Chocolatier Patissier. These ice creams are prepared using only the purest ingredients from various parts of the world.
Chef Toshin will also present three new sorbets -Banana, Passion Fruit and Raspberry -using fresh fruit puree imported from France to ensure only the best ingredients are being used to deliver finest quality sorbets. This is only part of his initial creations. He will be introducing many more artisanal signature flavours next year. An alumni of a reputed culinary school in London, Chef Toshin serves handcrafted pralines, cookies, macarons and desserts at his eponym patisserie in Chembur.
Where: Toshin Chocolatier Patissier , 1st Floor, Ivy Restaurant & Banquet, Next to Shoppers Stop, Amar Mahal Road, Chembur (W).
Call: 022 67982299.
http:www.toshin.in





THIS NEW YEAR'S EVE, THROW A LOW-CAL PARTY





All set to party but afraid of the calorie intake? Have no worry , make these appetisers and hors d'oeuvres that are tasty yet won't let you pile on the pounds.We've gone past hummus on toast and dressing up that crostini and bruschetta.With home parties for the New Year's Eve being high on most people's agenda, here's are ways to orchestrate a light buffet that your guests are sure to enjoy ...

SERVE MINI FOODS

Bite-sized is the new delicious! Mini food was the top food trend for 2015 so it's all about small soup shooters, mini pitas and sandwiches and shrunken pizzas or pizzettes. Not only do you get to eat the food you like, but it's psychologically comforting as it's a small serving. Says nutritionist Dhvani Desai, “Small food or small plates work well as they curb hunger without letting one pile on the pounds. You feel satiated that you have had the food of your choice minus the calorie guilt.“ But there are two aspects to this. “Make sure you eat the right minis. For instance, baked potatoes laden with a rich dressing won't work. Also, exercise portion control by choosing only one or two mini bites.“ This New Year's Eve, put a whole smorgasbord of these miniatures on the serving tray. We suggest mini burgers and tacos, mini meatballs with spaghetti, mini tarts and even tiny spring rolls. You can also serve mini veggie dips in little shot glasses.

ZERO-ALCOHOL DRINKS: BEING `SOBER CHIC' IS THE NEW COOL

Sober is now being hailed as being `seriously chic', so say hello to non-alcohol drinks made of juices and fermented tea. Chefs are pushing the envelope by adding infusions, syrups and spices too. Margaritas make way for `cucumberitas' and cocktails are now made of fruit, vinegar and brown sugar.

CANAPES AND VEGGIE DIPS

Dips are the centrestage for any party table.
Affirms home caterer Natasha Alpaiwalla, “The advantage of these is that they stay for long and are easy to serve. And there's so much you can do. Simple avocado with yoghurt goes well with carrot and celery sticks or pita triangles. You can also make a dip using nuts, peas and basil with yoghurt.
Another popular bite is baba ganoush made of eggplant and tahina (which has sesame seeds and is thus packed with cal cium).“ For an Indian touch, combine finely chopped roast pepper and pine nuts with grated coconut and coriander. Stir with kari patta and give it a pine nuts vaghar. The all-time favourite -salsa, with tomatoes and lime -is packed with vitamins A and C. Use whole-grain crackers and wheat bread as canapes.n

TRY THIS: TURKISH BEETROOT DIP

Also called Pancar Ezmesi, this healthy dip is made by blending raw baby beetroot, olive oil, Greek-style yoghurt and garlic cloves with pepper. Serve it chilled.

HAVE A SPOON STATION

Always wanted just a mouthful of a particular dish?
Try appetiser spoons. They're being used to serve almost anything from soup to antipasto, salad, salmon and sorbet. In fact, we suggest a complete soup station Try figs and goat cheese or even fruit and let guests pick up a spoon of their choice. You could end it with tiramisu or trifle on a spoon.

mini ribbon sandwiches

little pizzettes

beetroot dip

canapes with pine nuts

figs with goat's cheese

dragonfruit

chilled tzatziki and baked risotto with mushroom and kale

fruits on stick - gourmet popcorn is the new cupcake

Palazzo Manfredi

The Aroma Of Rome





My (yes it's mine!) magnificent eternal city seduces in so many enchanting ways. We sit within air-kissing distance of the 2000-year-old Colosseum and matching its grandeur are the sublime creations of Maestro Chef, Giuseppe Di lorio of Michelin-starred ristorante, Aroma.Whoa! What an experience in Aroma, which crowns the 17th Century historic Palazzo Manfredi, built upon the site of the Roman gladiators' barracks and is helmed by the dynamic, Bruno Papaleo. We start with the Tapioca and Cheese Foam Soup and end with an exuberance of desserts (3 textures of pear to liquid hearts). All this with Ann Scott, arguably UK's numero uno luxury hotel and spa PR, who has retained her position as London's 1000 influential individuals and ranked in the city's top 10 spinners and marketeers. An aperitivo on yet another rooftop Michelin-starred restaurant, Imago (bumping into the Hassler hotel's legendary owner, Robert Wirth) and the brilliant Chef Apreda are my other Roman highlights. Only the miracle of Christmas could ensure that I attend the Pope's midnight mass at St Peter's in the Vatican and then a priest walks me back home.
PS: I have a long list of restaurants recommended by Chef Bottura (Italy's best and the world's second best).Please Instagram, tweet @rashmiudaysingh email rashmiudaysingh2016@gmail.com if you need info.





Restaurant Review - RADIO BAR GLOBAL CUISINE

Restaurant Review





RADIO BAR GLOBAL CUISINE

love Bandra Khar bar bar I (sorry for that cheap pun). And, happily leading this recent new spate of bar openings is Radio Bar. I had been wanting to go there ever since it opened but then one night, (clearly my lucky night) not only did I meet Shah Rukh Khan at Rana Kapoor's dinner but also Manasi Scott, who was anchoring that event. This gorgeous, hippieheart diva, singer, songwriter, actor with music in her veins and an international hit on the world charts accepted my impromptu invite. She made for the perfect guest to check out Radio Bar. After a fun late dinner, we packed the pizza for Zephan, her foodie son, (already enrolled in `Little Chef') who later opined that the pizza was “delectable“.
DÉCOR
Stacked against a wall -radios, transistors and memorabilia.Hanging from the wall -lamps made from cassette tapes and mikes. On the bar wall -large speakers. An underground dance floor, a jukebox and an alfresco area with a cart converted into a bar complete the décor.
FOOD
The creative chef, Rohan D'Souza, trawls the world for his bar and dinner menu. South African Shito Chicken Skewers are deliciously fiery spiced. Barbeque Tiger Prawns perfectly sparkled with chilly and tamarind. Hummus is paired with Spinach Pita and Pepperoni Pizza kissed with garlic confit and caramelised onion delights.Plenty of cocktails -ask for the Radio Bar Mojito r and the Crème Brûlée Martini. End with the Chocolate and Hazelnut , Crusted Mousse.
MINUS POINTS
In some dishes, too many . ingredients hustle and bustle on a plate. The Baked Chargrilled Mediterranean Vegetables r with Goat Cheese, Pine Nuts, Tomato Coulis and Filo Pastry being a case in . point. Ditto for the Mini Tacos stuffed with a long list of ingredients. The Chorizo Sauce overpowers the pan-fried Rawas. The vegetarian dishes are not as good as the non-veg ones. Juke box not operational; open only at night, (except Sunday) are some of the downsides.
MY POINT
Brilliantly located on the arterial Linking Road, (basement for parties and alfresco in winter), Hitesh Keswani, Nikhil Meran and Rohan D'Souza's creatively done up Radio Bar, the DJ, as well as the food (some of it falters) have the `burbs' well heeled, over 30s dancing to its tune. So what if the juke box doesn't work? This is the rocking Radio Bar, remember?
TIMES FOOD GUIDE

Craft Deli.Bistro.Bar , Level 1, Phoenix Marketcity, LBS Marg, Kurla (W).

 Food that is crafted to perfection using freshly-sourced, hand-picked ingredients


Craft, a chic all-day deli, bistro and bar and a venture of Bellona Hospitality Ltd, launched at Phoenix Marketcity Kurla is an ideal place where you can unwind after a long day at work. With its aesthetically designed interiors and patio and beautifully created dishes and handcrafted cocktails, this new eatery is fast becoming popular.

With chef Paul Kinny at the helm, the food menu is simple and modern, crafted to perfection using freshly-sourced, handpicked ingredients. Craft dons a new avatar through different times of the day. In the evenings, it metamorphoses into a suave nightspot with an energetic party vibe. Expect a unique cocktail experience and great music in its al fresco section.

Where: Craft Deli.Bistro.Bar , Level 1, Phoenix Marketcity, LBS Marg, Kurla (W).

Timings: 11:30 am to 11:45 pm.

Call: 022 61802073 74.

Meal for two: ` 2,000 plus taxes.

Mibonasa-South East Asian Dining, Off Palm Beach Road, Navi Mumbai.

Tuck into delicious treats from the Far East





What do you get when a family of four comes together with their shared love of good food? Mibonasa is one such labour of love by a family, which has travelled extensively , sampling authentic and traditional food wherever their wanderlust has taken them. And with this restaurant, they are sharing their culinary adventures with foodies in Mumbai. The restaurant's name is a mash-up of the names of the family members -Mini, Bobo, Nayantara and Sangamitra. Each of them is passionate about the culinary traditions of the Far East and with Mibonasa, they are bringing authentic Asian cuisine to a simple and casual setting. Here, guests can dine on delicious Asian food without having to worry about artificial flavours, colours or even MSG.
Award-winning gold medalist chef Tenzin Kalden has lent her expertise in authentic Asian cuisine to thoughtfully craft a menu, which offers delicious authentic fare without compromising on nutrition.Executive Chef Deepak mans the kitchen and loves to put an innovative twist on classic dishes.
Their menu is a loving ode to some of the most popular dishes from the East -from freshly made sushi to sugar cane chicken skewers, Nasi Goreng to Khow Suey , and Konjee Crispy Lamb to standing pomfret, the restaurant is a must try for food lovers who appreciate authenticity. They also have an enviable collection of teas and other signature beverages.
Where: Mibonasa-South East Asian Dining, Off Palm Beach Road, Navi Mumbai.
Call: 022 27816573.
http:www.mibonasa.com





Indian corn recipes

Corn History and Nutrients

Corn Snacks- Corn Bhajiya - Corn Pakoda

Corn Rice Bhajiya - Crispi Baby corn Treat - Corn Methi Kabab - Corn Rounds

corn recipe

indian corn recipe

corn chaat

sweet corn recipe

boiled corn recipe

american corn recipe

corn recipe in hindi

corn soup recipe

corn side dish recipe

Traditional and modern views of Indian food

There is a gulf between traditional and modern views of Indian food, but things are changing

A FEW WEEKS ago, I moderated a discussion between two of India’s most respected chefs at a chefs’ conference. They were discussing the apparent conflict between traditional Indian food and modern. And because they were the two seniormost working chefs in the country – the Taj’s world-famous Hemant Oberoi and ITC’s scholarly Manjit Gill – I guess they count as traditional chefs.
UPDATE, BUT DON’T REBOOT Indian cuisine no longer means butter chicken (left) or rogan josh (right), it now includes modern dishes like the Varqi Crab (centre)

In the course of the discussion, Hemant Oberoi made the point that young chefs who did not know how to make a basic curry came to him and said that they wanted to make spherified chaat using molecular gastronomic techniques. Manjit Gill complained about the failure of a new generation of chefs to learn the basics of Indian cuisine or to understand the principles on which it was based.

Talking to young chefs at the conference, I got the sense that there is a gulf between two views of Indian food.

Our food has never been considered the glamorous option for chefs who are starting out. The talented chefs have all preferred what used to be called “Continental cooking” because it seemed more in tune with global cooking trends. Many of the great Indian chefs of the last few decades – from Arvind Saraswat, Satish Arora, Ananda Solomon to Oberoi and Gill themselves – trained to be “Continental” chefs. Only later in their careers did they make the transition to the Indian kitchen.

But that attitude is now changing. Indian cuisine no longer means rogan josh and tandoori chicken. There is a more glamorous kind of Indian cooking and young chefs are being increasingly attracted to it. There is the global success of men like Gaggan Anand, who seem to be having fun while creating dishes that old-style chefs could never have dreamt of. Plus, there’s the influence of the great Manish Mehrotra and the growing popularity of such places as Farzi Café and Masala Library.

So younger chefs want to dabble in the hot new Indian cuisine and have less and less interest in traditional Indian food.

Both Manjit and Hemant railed against this trend. And of course they are right. You can’t expand the frontiers of a cuisine if you don’t understand its central principles. When the likes of Michel Guérard and Paul Bocuse revolutionised French cuisine in the Sixties and the Seventies, changing the presentation, going beyond the classic dishes and throwing out the flour-thickened sauces of old, they did this from a sound, classical footing. It was only because they had mastered traditional cooking that they could find ways of going beyond it.

So yes, I support what Hemant and Manjit said. Chefs should master their own cuisine, not wander off in search of canisters of liquid nitrogen to tart up their dishes.

On the other hand, I also think that many senior chefs take too rigid a view of Indian cuisine. At every chefs’ conference there will be complaints about our failure to standardise our recipes, about the absence of an Indian Larousse Gastronomique.

I understand where this is coming from. If you call a dish a rogan josh, then you must at least be clear about the elements that comprise a rogan josh.

But I also think that the chefs lose sight of an important distinction. France has two distinct cuisines: home cooking and restaurant cooking. Home cooking varies from region to region and the recipes can differ. Frenchmen will come to blows over the constituents of a perfect cassoulet, for instance.

But there’s also a well-documented restaurant or banquet cuisine which uses standard recipes – there is only one way to make a Béarnaise sauce, for instance.

India, on the other hand, has no great restaurant tradition. There may have been a great banquet cuisine in the days of the Mughal courts, for instance, but the recipes have been mostly lost.

And our home cuisine is too rich and varied to have any standard recipes. How can there be only one correct way to make a sambhar when the recipe for sambhar changes every twenty miles or so, from village to village?

So I am always a little leery when senior chefs try and impose the French disciplines they picked up at catering college on the rest of us. What makes sense in Paris or Lyon, does not necessarily hold true for Delhi or Bombay.
Photo: SANJAY SOLANKI

There is a second factor. What we call Indian cuisine is essentially a collection of dishes (biryani, korma, naan, etc.) French cuisine, on the other hand, may have its classical recipes, but it is essentially a collection of kitchen skills and techniques.

If an executive chef at an Indian hotel interviews a cook, he asks him to cook a basic dish, say a tandoori chicken or a rogan josh to judge his ability. But when a French chef is judged, nobody cares how good his Boeuf Bourguignon is. He will be judged on his creativity and on his ability to merge flavours and invent new dishes using the techniques of the French kitchen.

That’s a huge difference and it is one that chefs are slow to recognise. And yet, as restaurants have opened in India in the second half of the 20th century, a restaurant cuisine that has nothing or very little to do with home cooking has developed. Classic examples are of course tandoori chicken and butter chicken, two dishes that no Indian makes at home and which nobody had heard of till the 1950s.

You can say that there is a classic recipe for butter chicken because it is a restaurant dish, invented by a chef. But you can’t say that there is a single recipe for chicken curry, because that varies from home to home.

Chefs are also unwilling to accept how much they have played around with Indian food themselves, long before the molecular boys got here. Manjit was one of the brains behind the first Dum Pukht. Its standout dish was the biryani. But rather than serve a standard Lucknow biryani/pulao, Manjit and ITC’s chefs played around with the seasoning to add elements that would not normally be found in a Lucknow dish.

Most significantly, they changed the presentation. Biryani would normally be made in a large handi and portions would be ladled out of it. At Dum Pukht, they began the practice of cooking the last stage of the biryani in a singleportion clay pot and then sealing the pot with a wheat-flour purdah. The purdah would be broken at the table, allowing the aroma to escape.

That style of presentation has now been copied so widely that nobody realises that it dates only to the 1980s.

So it is with Hemant. His Varq was the first successful modern Indian restaurant in India and its greatest hit, the Varqi Crab, takes a South Indian crab dish, layers it between pastry sheets, tops it with a tandoori prawn and uses balsamic vinegar as part of the sauce. There is nothing traditional about the dish. It is Hemant’s creation. But it is one of the classics of Indian restaurant cuisine.

So here’s my view. Yes, you must never forget that only if you understand the basics of a cuisine can you create new dishes. But there’s too much confusion in the minds of some of the older chefs who rush to condemn “fusion” or argue that younger chefs are straying too far from the roots of Indian cuisine. In fact, if adventurous chefs had never experimented, then such great dishes as tandoori chicken would never have been invented. I admire chefs like Naren Thimmaiah of Bangalore’s Karavalli who have rediscovered old home recipes and preserved them for posterity.

But that’s only one part of a cuisine’s evolution. The other part must go beyond tradition and the past and seek to create and innovate. If some Indian cook had declared, in the 16th century, that he would not use tomatoes, potatoes or chillis because they were new-fangled foreign ingredients, then Indian cuisine, as we know it today, would not have existed.

Nor do I think it is wrong for the younger chefs to be attracted to the glamour of the new Indian cuisine. For too long, Indian chefs have faced a dilemma. Western food is glamorous, but at the end of the day, no matter how good an Indian chef is at Italian food, there will always be some Italian, who has grown up with the cuisine, who will be better than him. This is why all the Indian chefs who started out in the Continental section eventually made their way to the Indian kitchen.

The new Indian cuisine, on the other hand, is not boring; it allows chefs to express their creativity and, because it uses cutting-edge techniques, makes them feel part of the global food community in a way that churning out endless portions of chicken korma never did. Yes, there’s a lot of foolish experimentation out there. All too often, talentless chefs seem like kids who have been gifted chemistry sets for their birthday. But eventually, these guys will fail. And true talent will shine through.

The debate we are witnessing in India is not new. We saw a version of it in France when the nouvelle cuisine revolution took place. And it was repeated in Europe when Ferran Adrià challenged the French.

Each time, the old guard lost out and creativity and innovation won. That, I suspect, is exactly how this drama is going to play out in India.

Avoid sugar

A diet high in refined carbohydrates stimulates the pancreas to produce an excess insulin response to help cut blood sugar levels. Excessive sugar intake leads to a similar reaction. “Constant blasts of insulin can actually exhaust the pancreas’s ability to produce insulin, putting you at risk for prediabetes. So eating excess sugar can indirectly make you susceptible to diabetes,” says endriconologist Dr Kharab. Besides, too much sugar means too many calories, and obesity is a very strong risk factor.

Put a lid on stress

A German study has demonstrated that those who face high levels of pressure at work have a 45 per cent higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes than those who face less stress at work. “Tension increases the stress hormones by acting on the corticosteroid hormone in the brain, which leads to abdominal obesity. It increases blood sugar levels and makes a person prone to hypertension and diabetes,” says Dr Ahluwalia. “Stress also affects your blood sugar levels indirectly by making you pig out on food and skip exercise, both high risk factors for diabetes,” he adds.

Eat fruit, don’t drink packaged fruit juice

“All canned juices tend to have a lot of sugar added to them to help in preservation. And as these sugars are simple sugars, they immediately increase the blood sugar level. Plus packaged juices also contain preservatives and almost no fibre and reduced nutrients compared to fruits. So be careful,” advises Dr Abhay Ahluwalia, consultant endocrinology, Columbia Asia Hospital, Gurgaon.

But you could be pre-diabetic.

You may not have diabetes. But you could be pre-diabetic. What is this condition and how can you reverse it? A quick guide

TRY AS you might, it’s hard to be positive when your doctor says those dreaded words: “You have diabetes”. But should your doctor tell you you’re pre-diabetic, you have every reason to be positive. Because this means your blood sugar is high, but not high enough to qualify you as diabetic. And the condition is reversible – with just a few changes in your life, your blood sugar could go back to normal.

What is pre-diabetes?

First you must understand what diabetes is. Most of the food you eat is converted into glucose, or sugar, for your body to use as energy. Insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas, helps the glucose get into the cells of your body. But when your body either doesn’t make enough insulin or cannot use its insulin effectively, the sugar builds up in the blood and, over time, harms blood vessels, the heart, the nerves, the kidneys, the eyes and feet. The damage to the blood vessels increases the risk of heart disease and strokes. This is diabetes.

If you are diagnosed as prediabetic, you are on the way to diabetes, says Dr Sandeep Kharab, endocrinologist, Asian Institute of Medical Sciences, Faridabad. Your blood glucose levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be classified as diabetes.

But there are no screening programmes in India for the early detection of pre-diabetes. “Very often people stay in this stage for many years without detection,” says Dr A K Jhingan, diabetes expert and chairman, Delhi Diabetes Research Centre. “Symptoms develop so gradually, people often don’t recognise them. And some people have no symptoms at all. Only tests can determine if their sugar is in the normal range.”

Businessman Rajat Kashyap learned this the hard way when, after years of drinking sugary soft drinks, eating erratically and seldom exercising, he fainted at the office. A week later, he fainted again. Blood tests revealed abnormally high blood sugar and 32-year-old Kashyap was diagnosed with pre-diabetes. “I was surprised, because there was no family history at all,” says Kashyap. “I guess it happened because of my poor eating habits. I have been on medication since, and I exercise regularly.”

How do you know you’re pre-diabetic?

Awareness and early detection can put a lid on this disorder. But often, even the obvious symptoms of diabetes (increased appetite, constant thirst and high urine formation) are ignored, and the disease is usually caught at an advanced stage, when much of the damage is irreversible.

“Quite often it is accidentally caught only during tests done for other malaises. Which is why those with risk factors like obesity, high work stress, sedentary lifestyle, faulty diet and family history of diabetes must undergo an extensive health check-up at least once a year, and those without risk factors should take it once in two years,” says Dr Pradeep Gadge, consultant diabetologist at Gadge's Diabetes Centre, and Breach Candy Hospital, Mumbai. “Sometimes when all tests show normal, but there is still some doubt, a specialised test called HBA1C can tell doctors about the blood sugar levels of the last three months and give us a better picture.”

If you have a history of diabetes in your family, make sure you take blood sugar tests regularly – even if you’re under 30. Ritika Sharma, a Delhi-based media professional did not, though her mother had diabetes. Instead, she continued to indulge her sweet tooth till the day she realised that eating sweets made her restless and anxious. Sure enough, after her blood tests, she was diagnosed with pre-diabetes. “I was shocked – and immediately began working with a diet counsellor to lose the 15 kilos I had piled up after college,” says Sharma.

How to get your blood sugar back to normal

Stay near your optimum

weight: Obesity is believed to account for 80-85 per cent of the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. “When you carry excess weight, you are more likely to develop insulin resistance, a condition in which your body is unable to use the hormone insulin to convert glucose (sugar) to energy, which results in high blood sugar levels. Being overweight also raises your risk of high blood pressure, cholesterol and triglycerides, all of which increase your pre diabetes risk even more,” explains Dr Gadge. “Losing even 5-10 kg can help reduce the risk substantially.” His advice? Get at least 150 minutes of physical activity, such as brisk walking, every week.

HOW TO HAVE AN ECO-CONSCIOUS DIWALI

HOW TO HAVE AN ECO-CONSCIOUS DIWALI





Give the festival of lights a green tinge this year by making a few adjustments in your decorations and gifting

The auspicious festival of Diwali is bringing a strain on the environment -and on the pocket -as people are forced to spend mindlessly on gifts, cause air and noise pollution with fire crackers and create more waste with plastic packaging and excess food. Avoid these far-reaching consequences by going green this Diwali, in a way that will brighten things up for the people around you and harbour well for the environment at large.

 GREEN ALTERNATIVES TO CRACKERS
Do something completely out of the ordinary by entirely giving air-polluting noisy crackers a miss this year. Take your kids for a walk in the wild and collect dry leaves, grass and twigs. Light a bonfire in the evening in the open terrace you would have used to burst crackers, and celebrate with homemade sweets. If you don't have the space for a bonfire, fill coloured balloons with glitter and small pieces of bright coloured paper. Use balloons in festive colours of red, yellow, green and orange. Burst the balloons and dance in the glitter rain with your family and friends.

PRESENT HANDMADE GIFTS AND CARDS
There's no greater feeling than receiving a card in the mail with a hand drawing from a friend. Get your kids to cut out and do up the handmade cards with glitter and glow paint. It speaks volumes more than the store-bought ones. As for gifts, choose things made from natural materials like a cloth purse or an ahimsa silk saree. Even better is to make the gift yourself. Making the gift yourself adds a personalised touch to it.Also, it would be a pity to use shiny plastic wrap for your gift so put it in a cloth bag with a string attached to it. 

MAKE NATURAL RANGOLIS
Instead of the artificial rangoli colour powders available in the mar ket, why not make a rangoli out of fresh flowers or a kolam made with natural ingredients. Villages in south India make spectacular looking kolam with either rice paste or dry rice flour. Another upside is that the ingredients become a way of sharing food with the creatures around us, like small birds and ants. These ingredients will make it to the bin the next morning to make compost for your garden. Use flowers like chrysanthemums, roses, lotus and leaves to give the finishing touches to your rangoli. 

MAKE SWEETS AT HOME
Spend a little extra time in the kitchen before the festivities start and make the laddoos, shankarpalis, karanjis and mithais at home. Share them with your neighbours and friends in steel and glass plates. It may be more convenient to just buy them from the sweet shop next door but think about the wasteful packaging that comes with it. Besides, homemade sweets will have a more unique flavour and value than even the most expensive mithai. 

USE OIL DIYAS
Substitute candles and elec tric diyas with the good ol' oil diyas, which are made from eco-friendly materi als and can be re-used many times over. Candle diyas can be used only once and are petroleum based. They release tox ins while burning which affects air quality . Some of the harmful chemicals released include benzene, formaldehyde and lead. Stick to the traditional earthen lamps, since cheaply available coloured diyas are painted with synthetic colours. If you would rather have electric lighting anyway , opt for LED lights and CFL bulbs. They use 30%-80% less energy and are available in a variety of colours at Crawford Market.





how you can lead a vegan way of life

IT'S WORLD VEGAN DAY TODAY - 

 

Here's how you can lead a vegan way of life





The concept of veganism is not new. Apart from being completely vegetarian, with no meat, fish or poultry, vegan food is also free from dairy products, gluten, preservatives, extra additives, honey, processed sugar and processed salt.Those practising veganism thus opt for fruits, vegetables, plenty of leafy greens, whole grain products, nuts, oats, seeds, and legumes, all preferably organic. While internationally there are fully vegan hotels and soon to be started vegan culinary course in Miami, the trend is gaining popularity in India too with a vegan education centre in Indore and a vegan fest happening in Pune.

GETTING STARTED

Here in Mumbai, for vegans, there are quite a few restaurants with vegan food items listed on the menu, and special caterers and bakers who cater to vegan cuisine and daily tiffins too. Cooking classes for those interested in learning vegan gourmet cuisine are easily available and has provided people with more options.
Neha Chopra a documentary film editor from Thane, says the decision came after she introduced her infant on a vegan diet, “When I had to start my daughter Noor on outside milk I checked out various options but none were satisfactory and that's when I came across a course on making vegan smoothies without milk which got me started. She is now two years old and we both are on a fully vegan diet. The change has given me positive results including weight loss. My acidity has reduced and even my acne problem is in control. For our birthdays I even got vegan cakes specially made for us.“
For single woman Suvarna Shelke, it is a bit difficult fielding questions about how she will manage with her veganism once she is married and has a child, “We give so much importance to milk and milk products and non vegetarian food in our diet, that sometimes it becomes annoying but I try to convince everyone that it is my choice, my belief and my contribution to the society .I turned to veganism when I visited a PETA site and witnessed the cruelty caused to animals. I decided to take a step to avoid harming any animal to lead a healthy life. I also cook vegan dishes like vegan kheer, vegan cheese, vegan gulab jamuns and have no cravings for non-vegan ood at all.“

IT'S EASY TO GO VEGAN

Some coffee shops now have a soya milk option for everything on their menu.
Buy organic food items from the various stores from where you can also order online.
Try the mock meats available.
You can find cafes serving an all vegan menu sandwiches, pizzas, soups and breads and even desserts like vegan carrot cake and tiramisu.
Buy ingredients like vegan chocolate, vegan curd, vegan milk and vegan butter from various supermarkets.
Healthy vegan catering services which also provide daily vegan tiffin services in the city.
If you have the space, plan your own terrace garden. There are terrace farming workshops happening in the city to guide you to do it the right way .





Micro irrigation Agriculture in maharashtra

micro irrigation

micro irrigation system 

Pradhanmantri Krushi Sinchai Yojana chiku lagwad

Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) chiku lagwad

micro irrigation scheme
micro irrigation
irrigation online
agriculture in maharashtra
agriculture of maharashtra
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CHETTINADU CHUTNEYS

Where would I go looking for the most fabulous Chettinadu chutney recipes? In Chettinadu home-kitchens of course, where the brilliant aachis rule. But to my surprise and delight here's what I found — recipes from home kitchens, which are being made with meticulous precision at Chennai's iconic Connemara hotel, where heritage tangos with modernity.

Here, in Raintree, an elegant look-alike of a traditional Chettinad, we conducted our What's Hot Tasting Session, where I got a taste of these chutneys. But it was at night, as I sat by a limpid lotus pond and sampled the brilliant Chef Jaffar Ali's exquisite Chettinadu food, that I got the full experience. Having honed his skills and set up several new restaurants, chef Jaffar Ali visited several homes in Karaikudi and unearthed many rare recipes. I pop into the kitchen and am thrilled to see the masalas being rhythmically ground on the conventional grinding stone.

The fragrance of many an essential traditional spices be it anasipoo (star anise), sombu (fennel seeds) or venthiyam (fenugreek seeds) fills the air. I trip out on the aachis samayal thali served on a banana leaf, and on many perennial favourites. I am dazzled by the meal, starting with the vibrant deep-fried prawns karuveppellai yera, and ending with the exquisitely delicate, tender coconut elaneer payasam. But through it all, the chutneys dot my dinner, each one adding a shine and sparkle to the meal. So, I request the chef Jaffar for the recipes which he generously shares with us — broccoli chutney, kathamba chutney, mango and ginger chutney.

JAFFAR ALI'S CHUTNEY RECIPES

BROCCOLI CHUTNEY

Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Number of servings: 8 portions
Ingredients
Broccoli:150gm
Red chilli(whole): 50gm
Onion (sliced): 25gm
Tamarind :10 gm
Garlic peeled: 5gm
Curry leaves 1 sprig
Ginger slice: 5gm
Salt to taste

For tempering

Oil: 50ml Mustard seeds: 5gm
Urad dal:10gm

Method

Make tempering with the given ingredients and add all the chutney ingredients to it. Saute the ingredients well and grind to a course consistency in a grinding stone.

KATHAMBA CHUTNEY

Preparation

Time: 15 minutes
Number of servings: 10 portions

Ingredients

Onion (sliced): 200gm
Tomato (sliced): 50gm
Coriander leaves: 30gm
Mint leaves: 50gm
Red chilli: 10gm
Tamarind 5gm
Coconut (grated) 15gm
Oil for saute Salt to taste

For tempering: Oil 50ml
Mustard seeds: 5gm
Urad dhal: 10gm
Channa dhal: 10gm
Curry leaves: 2 sprigs.

Method

Make tempering with the given ingredients and add all the chutney ingredients to it. Saute the ingredients well and grind to a course consistency on a grinding stone

MANGO GINGER CHUTNEY

Preparation

Time: 15 minutes
Number of servings: 6 portions
Ingredients
Mango ginger: 150gm, Red chilli(whole): 50gm, Onion (sliced) 25gm, Tamarind: 10gm, Garlic 5gm, Curry leaves: 1 sprig, Ginger (sliced): 10gm, Salt to taste

For tempering

Oil: 50ml, Mustard seeds: 5gm, Urad dhal: 10gm

Method

Make tempering with the given ingredients and add all the chutney ingredients to it. Saute the ingredients well and grind to a course consistency in a grinding stone.

There are several ways to make biryani

There are several ways to make biryani - each style loyal to its local gastronomic history. Here are the India specific ones that every rice or biryani lover should know about

The masses love it, politicians woo voters with it, and festivals are incomplete without it -the delicious biryani is the favourite of all.India has a wide variety to choose from when it comes to this royal dish.Top chefs talk about the distinctive features of each biryani, and what makes them special...

Hyderabadi Biryani (Andhra Pradesh)

Hyderabadi biryani is one of the most popular dishes in south India. For many home cooks and chefs, this dish from Mughlai cuisine is quite a challenge to make, and each has his unique way of spicing it up. What makes it stand out is the usage of saffron and coconut. This biryani is cooked in layers - the most challenging part in its creation. While most other biryanis are always dominated by mutton and chicken gravy, here the saffron mixed-rice takes over.Serve it with brinjal gravy.

Dindigul Biryani (Tamil Nadu)

This one's a favourite in Chennai with many outlets dedicatedly serving just Dindigul biryani.The rice used in it is very different - jeera samba rice instead of Basmati, giving it an entirely new flavour. The biryani also uses cube-sized muttonchicken pieces instead of big chunks. Apart from the usual masala, a lot of pepper is used.

Ambur Biryani (Tamil Nadu)

It's hard to miss out on the Ambur biryani if you are in Tamil Nadu.Take a trip to the sleepy little town of Ambur and the first thing that'll strike you is the in numerable biryani stalls dotting the Chennai-Bengaluru highway. There's chicken, mutton, beef and prawn as options, with the flavour of mint and coriander standing out. The highlight of this biryani is the fact that chefs soak the meat in curd be fore adding it to the rice, which imparts a unique taste to the dish. Have it with onion raita and brinjal gravy.

Bhatkali Biryani (Coastal Karnataka)

Coastal Karnataka: Though low on spice, the Bhatkali biryani has the right amount of flavour. This particular style originated from the Nawayath Mus lim community of Bhatkal, in coastal Karnataka. They use a lot of onions, green chillies in their style of cooking - also in the layered format. Unlike Ambur biryani, in which mutton pieces are soaked in curd, Bhatkali biryani chefs cook mutton chicken pieces in curd. This eventually makes the biryani less spicy.

Lucknowi Biryani (Uttar Pradesh)

Uttar Pradesh: Based on the Persian style of cooking, the Lucknowi biryani is made with the use of a completely different method known as dum pukht. As is the norm with most Persian formats, the meat and gravy are partially cooked and then layered in the dum pukht style. Served in a sealed handi, Lucknowi biryani is light on the stomach as it is low on spices.

Kolkata Biryani (West Bengal)

West Bengal: Kolkata biryani has its roots in the Nawabi style biryani of Lucknow. The chefs from Awadhi kitchens brought the signature biryani recipe to Kolkata, which later got tweaked into the unique Kolkata biryani that we know today. The Kolkata biryani is unique, thanks to its subtle use of spices combined with ghee, Basmati rice and mutton. The addition of potatoes and boiled eggs also lends a different flavour to the d dish. Use of nutmeg along with saffron and kewra gives this biryani its signature aroma.

Malabar Biryani (Kerala)

Kerala: Malabar biryani, famous in Kozhikode, Thalassery and Malappuram areas of Kerala, is characterised by the unique variety of rice called khyma rice, the rich flavour of spices, and the generous usage of cashew nuts and raisins.Chefs in Kerala add these ingredients generously while preparing the biryani.The key difference lies in the method of preparation. The rice is cooked separately from mutton gravy and mixed well only at the time of serving.

Sindhi Biryani (Sind Province, Pakistan)

Pakistan: Sindhi biryani, which originated in Sind, Pakistan, is quite spicy and zesty.Sour curd, generous use of spices and chilli mark this form of biryani. Usage of kewra or mitha ittr is another differentiating factor. Sindhi biryani recipes also use potatoes and prunes.

Bombay Biryani (Maharashtra)

Maharashtra: What makes Bombay biryani special is the use of potatoes in it.Be it vegetarian or non-vegetarian biryani, potato is a must. The preparation uses a layered method, where half-cooked basmati rice and cooked meat are put on dum-style.

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Dindigul biryani recipe

Ingredients

Jeera Samba rice: 1 kg (for 10) I Mutton: 1.5 kg
Onion: 400 gm
Tomato: 400 gm
Mint leaves: 1 bunch
Coriander leaves: 1 bunch
Ginger-garlic paste: 6 tsp (approx 30 gm)
Cinnamon: 4
Cloves: 4
Star anise: 4 pieces
Marati moggu (type of caper): 4
Jathipathri: 4
Curd: 250 ml
Oil: 200 ml
Ghee: 50 ml
Chilli powder: 5 tsp
Coriander powder: 7 sp
Pepper powder: 4 tsp

Method

Cut the mutton into small pieces and soak it in curd for 20 minutes. Wash the rice and soak it in water for half an hour. Keep the biryani vessel in the stove and add oil, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, star anise, marati moggu, jathipathri, mint leaves (50%) and coriander leaves (50 %). Then add sliced onions. Saute well until it turns transparent. Add ginger-garlic paste, followed by sliced tomatoes. Mix well until it merges together. Add the mutton pieces along with the curd, coriander powder, chilli powder and then add a glass of water. Add the required amount of salt at this stage and cook the mutton. Once it is cooked, add the pepper powder, soaked jeera rice, the remaining mint and coriander leaves. When it starts bubbling, put the lid on the fire and add the weight (in dum style). Leave it for about 20 mins and then add ghee.Serve it with raita or brinjal curry.

Sindhi Recipes: Seyal mutton (Sindhi dish)

Recipe: Seyal mutton (Sindhi dish)

How to make a quick Sindhi dish!
Seyal Mutton is a hot favourite and is easy to make too

Sail or Seyal is the process of a dish slow cooked in its own juices without the use of water. Says food aficionado Saloni Malkani, "Slow cooked is very important as the meat or any preparations slowly cooks in its own juices, giving the dish and outstanding and typical flavour." Here is her recipe to try...

Recipe of Seyal Mutton

Ingredients:

500 to 750 Grams mutton or lamb - with bone or deboned as per your choice
The lamb should be cut in cubes, or sized pieces as desired
3-4 normal medium sized onions chopped and then puree in a mixer
4 medium sized tomatoes chopped and pureed
200 grams curd (either hung or thick)
4 garlic pieces finely chopped
1 tablespoon garlic paste and 1 tablespoon ginger paste
1 cup coriander leaves and 2 green chilies finely chopped and pureed
1 teaspoon garam masala, jeera powder and dhania powder
1/2 teaspoon of cardamon which should be powdered
1/2 teaspoon of ajwain powder
3 tablespoons ghee
A pinch of haldi
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Marinate the mutton in a mixture of the ginger ,garlic , coriander leaves puree along with the curd , leave in the for a few hours outside or if overnight refrigerate the mixture.

(Overnight marination does wonders to the dish)

2. Saute the onions in ghee, when slightly brown add the tomatoes and masalas and saute between 4-6 min.

3. Cool the sauteed onions, tomatoes and masala mixture then add to the marinated mutton and mix.

4. Keep aside 45 minutes and cook the mixture over high heat for 7-10 minutes.

5. Reduce the heat and cover the discharge to simmer for 60-75 minutes to ensure the mutton is tender

6. Once tender, serve in a nice bowl and garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

Your seyal mutton is ready.

Sindhi Recipes - Sindhi Curry

Sindhi Curry

Add tangy flavor to your taste buds–


Add tangy flavor to your taste buds – Sindhi Curry
Being a Sindhi and brought up in a small close knit community, it was every Sunday routine to have heavy lunch of delicious piping hot Sindhi curry.

The best way to have it slathered on bowl of rice till you can't see any white grain accompanied with sweet boondi and aloo tuk followed by long nap....mmmm.... complete bliss!!!!

While I miss those gatherings, visiting fun fairs, having ice golas after school, visiting cousins every summer vacation and it's only food that keeps me connected to my childhood memories

Well...coming back to tangy flavored curry with all veggies which you will crib to eat on its own (good trick to make fussy kids eat veggies) but will heartily slurp with hot rice and sweet pearls of boondi

Ingredients:

1 small cup Gram flour (Besan)
2 tbsp wheat flour
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
8-10 curry leaves
½ tsp hing (asafoetida)
2 Green chilies silted
2 Potatoes diced
100 gms Lady finger (Okra) Silted and shallow fried
100 gms Cluster Beans (Gavar)
100 gms Drumsticks chopped in 2 pieces
100 gms Yam diced
100 gms cauliflower cut in florets
1 cup tomato puree
½ cup tamarind pulp
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chili powder
Salt to taste
1 tbsp oil
1 glass water approx.
Coriander leaves for garnish
You can add any vegetables of your choice like Brinjals, Lotus stem, Green peas , French Beans etc

Method:

- Heat oil, add hing, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, curry leaves and green chilies.

- Once they start spluttering, add besan and wheat flour.

- Saute till it turns pink and raw smell disappears Add water and bring it to boil.

- Add potatoes, yam and cauliflower(you can change quantity of vegetables based on your preference).

- Cook till vegetables are half done. Add salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder and tamarind pulp.

- Then add cluster beans and let it simmer on medium flame.

- Add water if you think gravy has gone thick Add Drumsticks and lady finger when all other vegetables are almost done.

- Boil for more 3-4 minutes and garnish with coriander leaves Serve hot with rice.


Sindhi food, folk songs to crown community festival in Thane


THANE: The legendary Sindhi saint Bhagat Kanwar Ram was known and loved for blessing little children by singing lullabies to them. One day the only child of a poor widow passed away. Elders advised her to take her son to the Sai (saint) for a song of spiritual blessing in the hope of reviving him.

However, they urged her to not reveal he was dead. The widow did so and approached the saint with the body of the child covered in muslin cloth. The unwitting Sai sang to the corpse. Once the lullaby ended, however, the woman declined to take back the body of her son saying she wanted him back alive. The nonplussed saint was overwhelmed with concern because he felt people would blame him for the child's death. Tears streaming down his face, he began praying to his guru Swami Satramdas. Even as he repeated the lullaby, the child stirred back to life. The village erupted in joyous celebration.

Such spiritual songs and lullabies which have come to be called 'chhej' and 'bhagat' will be performed at a grand Sindhi cultural festival coming up in Thane shortly. The Puj Sadhu Vaswani Sindhi Panchayat will host the three-day event named 'Sunhri Sind' (Beautiful Sind) at Lal Maidan from May 8-10.

A large 35 ft x 65 ft model showcasing all 24 old districts of Sind will be built alongside a replica of the famous Uderolal temple dedicated to Jhulelal Sai. Every evening from 5.00-10.00pm visitors can enjoy traditional Sindhi food, music, dance, handicrafts and games.

Organiser Raju Khetwani, president of the Sindhi Panchayat, said, "The community migrated to western India 65 years ago but post-Partition generations know nothing about our native land. We have engaged architects, sculptors and artisans to recreate the magic of the ancient civilisation.''

Sindhi food is a particular favourite among all communities. Khetwani says the festival offers foodies a chance to savour seven dishes each day by rotation. "The menu includes the classic sai bhaji, tanhiri or sweet saffron rice, Sindhi kadhi, dodo, bhee and an array of seyal dishes. Stalls selling embroidered cloth will be erected alongside a booth where visitors can take pictures dressed in traditional Sindhi costumes. A book named 'Luminary Sindhis of Thane' will be launched as well."

Sindhi Recipes - Sai bhaji - the favorite Sindhi dish

Recipe: Sai bhaji - the favorite Sindhi dish 

Ask any Sindhi their favorite dish, it will be Sai bhaji - Bhuga Chawaran ( Caramelised Onion Rice) without second thought (of course along with Sindhi Curry)

I think our older generations figured out balanced diet concept long back probably that's why today while we like to try out different 'healthy' recipes, most of nutritionists urge us to go back to old classics like this one as a part of our daily meals

Sai Bhaji is protein packed vitamins rich dish which can be accompanied by any bread or rice. You can have it while adhering to only protein rich diets

Even today if there is any function or wedding in Sindhi community, this dish will be part of at least one meal. If you have it any Sindhi household, it will accompanied with plain rice/ caramelized onion rice, fried masala brinjals, curd/raita, pickle and ofcourse all time favorite papad....mmm it does make your mouth water, isn't it?.

Well, here is a recipe :

Ingredients:

1 bunch Spinach Leaves ½ cup Dill (Sua/shepu)
1 cup Sorrel (Chuka)
10-12 cloves garlic
2 medium sized onions chopped
3 big tomatoes chopped 1 cup
chana dal (Bengal gram) soaked for 2-3 hours
1 green chilly chopped ½ cup carrots chopped (optional)
½ cup brinjal chopped (optional)
Salt to taste
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chili powder
1 tbsp oil

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Add garlic and green chilis. Saute till garlic turns light brown
2. Add onions and saute till they turn transparent. Add tomatoes and saute for a minute
3. Add chana dal, spinach leaves, dill and sorrel. Add all spices and mix well. (if you are adding carrots and brinjals add them now. If your kids don't eat brinjals this is good way of camouflaging as they won't know
4. Put on cooker's lid and cook then for 2-3 whistles and let it pressure cook for 10 minutes after you turn off the heat (there is no need to add any water)
5. Mash all the vegetables lightly with back of wooden spoon or blitz it with hand blender (don't mash it completely, you should be able to see chana dal)
6. Serve hot

Diwali 'faral' set to go abroad - maharashtrian diwali faral in marathi

maharashtrian diwali faral in marathi

Various courier companies have already received orders to deliver faral parcels weighing around 850 kg for delivery to the US and other European countries so far.

With Diwali just around the corner, people living in Pune are busy sending faral (Diwali sweets) to their near and dear ones living abroad. Various courier companies have already received orders to deliver faral parcels weighing around 850 kg for delivery to the US and other European countries so far.

Besides faral, Puneites settled abroad are also ordering puja items, torans, panchang and other gift items from Pune.

Proprietor of Zaika caterer Meena Paranjape said, “We have parcels filled with faral, puja items, lamps, torans, new year calenders, kundan rangoli, DVDs of Marathi movies and Marathi songs. Most of the parcels go to America and England. The courier charges for USA and England are cheaper as compared to other countries in Europe and Australia, where the regulations for ordering food are more stringent.”

Kedar Chitale, partner, Chitale Bandhu Mithaiwale, said, “We have ready packages of faral designed especially for sending abroad. The trend is not different as compared to last year, but it is too early to say whether the response will be better this year.”

Pune region of the department of posts has also made special arrangements for handling the huge volumes of mail during Diwali.

The postmaster general of Pune region Col KC Mishra said, “The department anticipates that it will handle about 25 lakh Diwali mails during this period.”

 The Poona Guest House comes foremost to any Punekar’s mind the moment you mention Maharashtrian delicacies. This eatery started as a source for livelihood by one of the pioneers of the silent films era, Narhari Damodar Sarpotdar in 1935.

This eatery is famous for consistently serving authentic Maharashtrian food while retaining the taste for decades. “Our dadpe pohe, thaalipeeth, ukdiche modak and Diwali faral taste the same, no matter where our cooks are from, since we train them to cook up the perfect taste,” says Narhari’s grandson, Kishore

In 1930, Narhari had launched a silent film studio called Aryan Film Company near Peshwe Park. Over the next 10 years, he produced over 50 silent movies. His troupe included Lalita Pawar and Durga Khote, who he introduced to the Marathi film world. His movie Mharacha Por was the first film on Dalit empowerment. But since the movie business wasn’t generating enough revenue, he started the Poona Guest House.

Located at Belbaug Chowk on Laxmi Road, it provided lodging and boarding on the first floor and housed the Poona Refreshment House below.  “Since inception, the Poona Refreshment House, just like now, served Maharastrian dishes. My grandfather named the dishes creatively, such as the Bajirao Chiwda and Mastani Misal, as at that time, everything in Pune had a prominent Peshwai stamp. The specialty of the misal was that it contained a lot of kismis and cashews, along with dahi (curd),” says Kishor.

The guest house was an artistes’ hub. “The Prabhat Film Company came to Pune around the time we launched. So the guest house has played host to creative luminaries like Dev Anand, Bal Gandharva, Master Vijay and many others, along with writers like PL Deshpande and Pa ndit Vasantrao Deshpande. GD Madgulkar wrote his renowned play Geet Ramayan here,” he says, adding that legendary Marathi comedian Dada Kondke also stayed here.

Narhari passed away in 1945 and the reins of the lodge were taken over by his wife Saraswati. She was the first lady to begin a paying guest system for women.

Subsequently, their son Charudatta also started handling business. In 1961, during the infamous floods in the city, Charudatta provided free lodging to people for a month. “Until about 1960, people would sit on a paat (small stool) and eat. We then introduced tables, which we have retained till now,” says Kishor.

Interestingly, a few people know that Charudatta’s brother, Bandopant, started a branch in Delhi, known as the Delhi Poona Guest House in 1945, which ran until 1995.

Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi were regular visitors here. Nehru loved the masale bhaat and aalu bhaaji, informs Kishor, who entered the business around 1980, when big catering contracts were given to the guest house. Since then, a spin-off of the Poona Guest House called Sarpotdar Caterers has been in place.

 While most of us celebrate Diwali in a pompous manner, there are few who believe in celebrating Diwali by giving joy to others.
Housewife Kavita Ladkat took up diya decoration as a hobby.

Later, she taught the art to 15 women from socially weaker section. Ladkat has provided them a market where these diyas can be sold and the revenue is distributed among themselves.

Speaking to dna, Kavita said, “We contacted a few businessmen and showed them the finished products. They liked it and instantly gave us orders. Now these women are providing over two lakh diyas before Diwali and the  entire revenue is distributed among them.”

Maitri NGO is raising funds by selling Diwali products in an exhibition and the entire money will be donated for their Melghat project. One of the volunteers told dna, “Our volunteers have prepared various products such as diyas, home-made chocolates, Diwali faral, rangoli colours for the entire year and stocked it for the Karvenagar exhibition. The money will go to Melghat project for malnutrition children.”

Manjeetsingh Virdi, a camp resident and businessman who runs Virdi foundation, has decided to hold a special screening of Krish-3 for special children from 15 different organisations. He said, “The special screening will be held on November 6 at Inox multiplex.These children have some limitation and therefore they can not enjoy Diwali like normal children and therefore we have decided to gather them and show them the movie.”

As a part of its corporate social responsibility, Courtyard by Marriott in Chakan served a special lunch for the residents of Paraplegic Rehabilitation Centre (PRC), a batch of 80 paraplegics, quadriplegics who have been injured while they were with the defence services.

Speaking on the occasion Ritu Chawla, general manager, Courtyard by Marriott Pune Chakan said, “We are grateful to the team at PRC for giving us this opportunity.”

Similarly, Rotary club of Pune has donated wheelchairs to children of Snehalaya school. “We donated four wheelchairs to the children of Snehalya school. The wheelchairs were imported from Australia,” said Dolly Raizada, member of the Rotary Club of Pune.

 Datta Jadhav’s philanthropic endeavour for the last 26 years has ensured that the traditional Diwali delicacies are within the reach of a large section of the populace, given the sky rocketing prices of various commodities. He offers 10 Diwali delicacies at the rate of Rs100 per kg.

Jadhav, an active member of the Shiv Sena, has maintained the prices of the Diwali delicacies over the years and has a growing section of the city patronising his scheme.

The idea of selling cheap yet quality Diwali delicacies, Jadhav said was inspired by Shiv Sena supremo Balasaheb Thackeray’s directions to the party workers. “Balasaheb has asked us to do 80% social work and 20% politics and I decided to take this maxim and work on it,” he said.

Jadhav’s translation of the maxim was in the form of his endeavour to make and sell cheap yet quality delicacies near the Apollo theater in Rasta Peth. “Given the fact that the price rise has made it difficult for the poor to even survive, it is almost impossible that they can get access to the Diwali delicacies. With an army of 25 cooks I have been dolling out these at prices that every one can afford,” he said.

The 10 items that are available for sale at Jadhav’s makeshift stall are all available at the base price of Rs100 per kg.

This year, Jadhav stated that they had sold almost 19,000 kg of delicacies over the last few days.

 Donning traditional attire, Mumbaikars thronged prominent temples in the city to offer prayers on the occasion of Diwali on Wednesday.

Mumbadevi temple, to which the credit goes to give the city its name, saw large number of businessmen queuing up with their books to offer prayers and seek blessings. Likewise, thousands queued outside the Kalbadevi temple.

Wearing traditional Marwari or Sethia caps, businessmen carried different types of khate bahi (accounts related books) draped in red cloth. "The idea is to ask devi to bless me for good business," said Keshav Purohit, a 38-year-old cloth dealer.

"Accounts books are made in larger numbers, particularly for these days. Despite computers going to office, the tradition of book puja continues. These include rojemal book (cash collection), hundia books (cheque and draft entry book), OD book and accounts ledger," said Yashawant Kagzi, partner at Phoolchand and Sethia Company.

To ensure that the Goddess is impressed, people moved out naked feet even to buy books before going to the temple. "The idea is that you show respect," said Hasmukh Jain, a 42-year-old cloth dealer.

To accommodate as many and early enthusiast, temples opened earlier than their usual timings. "We opened at 5.30am as devotees come from far away places,"said Hemant Jadhav, manager,  Mumbadevi temple. Kalbadevi temple, too, opened at 6.30am. Mahalakshmi temple, which opened at 4am witnessed over 1 lakh people. "We do not conduct any special pujas. Only the rounie ones are conducted slightly early for the three days. We even shut down late as people come from distance," said SV Padhye, manager of Mahalakshmi temple.

Ramvir Singh, a resident of Navi Mumbai, stated that he tries to make it a point to come every year. "Last Diwali, I was in terrible problem. I had taken VRS and was hunting for a job. I came here and then I managed to get one. So me and my wife make it a point to come here every year," said 48-year-old Singh.

Some like Jitendra Singh, a resident of Panvel, made it a point of going to more than one temple. "Today is a holiday so I try to go to as many places. I have already been to Mumbadevi, and after this I would go to Siddhivinayak," said Singh.

While flow at the temples went on through out the day, citizens ensured that they organised pooja at home too. "We had bought silver and gold coins that we will be using for the pooja. Delicacies like faral, ladu, karanji are prepared for our guests," said Bhachandra Kunte, a resident of Byculla. Others like Dhirubhai Dabhi, a resident of Ghatkopar, said: "We will be going to a friend's place. After that we will have puja at home."

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