Travel (mis)adventures, Kitchen tales and Inspiring conversations – stories from a girl out to achieve her simple dreams
In conversation with Urban Khichdi, a new food venture in Ahmedabad, that promises to satisfy your khichdi cravings. Khichdi, after all, is the hug in a bowl.
Eating alone, especially dining alone on solo travels can be daunting. Here are my tips for eating alone like a boss and enjoying it.
Made with just all-purpose flour and potatoes, these fritters are not something that I would define as healthy. But they are supremely easy to make and are the perfect dish to make when you open the doors to unexpected guests.
No one is born a solo traveller. Somewhere along the path of life, you determine the need or desire to travel alone and then forge ahead. At least, that’s the way I look at it. I’ve been a latecomer to the world of solo travel. Till about five years ago, my solo travel time was …
Spot a festival marked on the calendar and I immediately start grilling my mother about the food. The latest conversation went something like this… Me: Maa! It’s Janmashtami on September 3. What’s special on the menu for the day? Maa: Hmmm… I could make payesh but then you are lactose intolerant so… Me: Okay. What …
I’m a Potterhead like that, you know. I was part of a generation that was swept in the Potter wave back in 1997. The first of J.K. Rowling’s magical series Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone came my way only in 2000 but by then, I had heard rumblings of this new world of magic …
An oval-shaped dining table dominates the living room of our family home. It’s the place where we eat our meals, yes. But there’s much more to that table. The dining table is where Baba* sits to sift through the daily mail and at the end of the month, attempt to make sense of my expenses. …
Gosh! Have you ever marvelled and shaken your head at the ease with which the child version of you was made a fool of? I do! Seems I was a rather happy-go-lucky and trusting child, willing to believe almost everything the parents told me. And when it came to food – and yes, I was …
It’s a common enough complaint of a child of any age that his/her parent nags and tends to hover. I shared the same sentiments. But all of that came to a screeching halt – albeit temporarily – when it came to the trip with my parents to Scotland. Because with startling clarity, I realised I’d …
“I decided to become a chef when I was 10 years old and I never changed my mind. Never ever. I remember telling my father that I want to become a cook.”
When I boarded the airplane to Bristol at the Edinburgh Airport in September 2017, I’d been thinking about the perfect week spent in Scotland, hoping I could visit the country again. Who knew I would be on Scottish soil before hitting the year-long mark! “We must visit Scotland. I want to show your mother around …
It’s creepy, the way social media throws up ‘Watch This’ or ‘Read This’ suggestions. From the usual food videos, discounts by travel companies, cute baby and pet videos and sitcom snippets to the more unusual ‘trending’ and ‘viral’ videos of people barfing, crazy challenges, strange habits, there’s a constant barrage of visuals. While I’m still …
Sometimes, its good to revisit the beginnings, right? It’s time to reflect on where it all started and it begins with ‘Once upon a travel’
The best recipes, in my opinion, come from a mother’s memory. And she is also undoubtedly the best cook in the whole wide world. Little wonder then that I started off my culinary lessons under my mother’s loving and watchful eye. I happened to mention this to Kamini during our conversation that I’ve shared a …
I was all of 18 when I marked the first international trip of my life. It was with the elder sister Raka, and we flew to Bangkok where she was pursuing a Masters’ degree. We stayed in her boarding room, part of a two-room unit with a shared bathroom and kitchenette. My first memory of …
Temporary workspaces are so much fun! You move out of your personalised space and set up shop at a different location. A visit to the unknown rejuvenates the mood and makes your workspace dearer on return. I change my workspace often when back home. Pack up my little bag and head to a cafe, settle …
The past month has been spent happily basking in the English summer sun and revelling in the much needed family time with the three of us – the parents and me – heading down to spend time with the elder sister and brother-in-law who’ve set up home in UK. The parents also wanted to travel …
Yes. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. So say my parents and half the world around me! But I sing a different tune. Coz for me, while breakfast is important, the mid-morning snack, lunch, evening bites, dinner and late night craving are equally important. I don’t believe in playing favourites with meal …
Follow my blog with Bloglovin Nearly a decade of living in the United Kingdom has made the elder sister a good cook and an almost expert in the art of ‘kitchen substitutes’. A cheerleader for the ‘quick and easy’ meal squad, Raka (the elder sister’s name that means ‘full moon’) confesses that she has learned …
Follow my blog with Bloglovin On an average day, rolling out of bed seems to be the hardest thing to be done. But occasionally, I wake up ready to take on the world, my heart pounding with the excitement of having achieved something. Even if it is something minor. Like perhaps having convinced you to …
Follow my blog with Bloglovin Confession: I dislike fruits, vegetables, greens and the category. Give me some fresh fruit juice or a stir fry and I will gobble up the goodness in seconds. Hand me the raw and they will remain untouched. Which means all the greens and veggies in my salads have to be …
Follow my blog with Bloglovin If Baku is the potpourri of the old and new and Gabala is that beauty spot hidden in the mountains of Azerbaijan, Shaki is an old painting come alive. Cobbled streets, old buildings with exposed bricks, quaint coffee shops and tiny chai khanas, Shaki has held on to the old …
There is something magical in the way eggs, whisked thoroughly, seasoned with a pinch of salt and cooked in a pat of butter or oil, can produce something as deceptively simple like an omelette. And I speak of the basic omelette. Type in the word ‘omelette’ in the search engine of your choice and it …
For most tourists, Gabala or Qabala is a preferred winter destination considering the plethora of winter sports that can be enjoyed on the slopes of the Greater Caucasus mountain range. In fact, Mount Bazarduzu, the highest peak in the Republic of Azerbaijan is located in this region. But summer in Gabala isn’t too bad, I …
“I’m about to board the flight/train. See you soon.” “Okay. By the way, what do you want for lunch/dinner?” “You know Maa! Moshuri daal, bhaat, ghee maakha aloo sheddo (red lentil soup, steamed rice, mashed potato seasoned with ghee and salt)” This conversation, or a version of it, is repeated each time I am on …
One of my biggest concerns when the blog was taking off five months ago was photographs. I could manage the touristy/birthday photos with my little camera. But I needed better. While I was struggling with these issues and hoping I could get the blog rolling on time, someone told me that an “awesome” photographer was about …
If you thought Baku is the beginning and end of Azerbaijan, and that I was done talking about my weeklong trip, you were soooooo wrong! Seven days is long enough time to tuck several experiences under your belt. And if those days are spent in a country like Azerbaijan, it is sufficient time to explore …
A news alert two days ago declared that the western part of India will experience monsoon “in 2-3 days”. Which means me, along with scores of others, have joined the thousand others sending prayers to the rain gods! But until the rains arrive, I am busy enjoying the last of the mango rush. Like almost …
Did you know? # The process of making Azeri specialities dolma and flatbreads (lavash, katyrma, jupka, yufka) are inscribed in UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. # Azerbaijan cuisine boasts of more than 30 types of soups. # Black caviar from the Caspian Sea is among the most sought after in …
There is a lot of food culture that goes on in the home and in the community in non-traditional ways. Food is a lot more than restaurants. – Eddie Huang (American chef, food personality) For me, home is where food becomes an expression of love, a comfortable hug, a celebration, a new tradition, an experience, …