Author: The Metrognome

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Swaad 'Anu'saar

Meat the ban

Does the upcoming ban on sale of meat make you crave meat more? Try out these wonderful non-vegetarian recipes today.
anurita guptaby Anurita Gupta | @myylittlekitchn on Twitter, @myylittlekitchen on Instagram

Anda, machhi, chicken! Naam bhi matt lo, ban hai!

Recently we have been ‘told’ what we should not be eating. The beef ban in Maharashtra was a ‘dream come true’ according to a senior minister. And now, all those who were supporting that ban are also in for a shock as the Government has again decided a four-day meat sale ban during the Jain paryushan. The ban was then reduced to two days – September 10 and 17 – after public and political furore.

While it is wise to be sensitive to all communities and cultures in our country, this ban is clearly pushing things too far. Politicians are now dictating what should be on our plates in the pious country of India.

Many ban-believers forget that Indian cuisine is the most popular in the world because of its ‘butter Chicken’ and ‘balti curry’ both of which are meat dishes. Popular or not, as free citizens we should not have to fight for our food choices! That is why I bring to you a unique way of ‘meating’ this ban by giving you some non-vegetarian recipes that you can make and enjoy albeit even more ravenously to make the point J

Butter Chicken

As I said, the pride of Punjab sadda butter chicken is one of the best and the most sinful creations that the world and its cousin loves.

Can you believe that butter chicken was invented by accident at Moti Mahal Restaurant in Daryaganj, New Delhi? I bring to you the same recipe:

Ingredients: 1 kilo chicken marinated in 1/2 tsp red chilli powder, 1 tsp ginger garlic paste, 1/2 kilo dahi (curd) and salt to taste. While the chicken marinates put together the following for the gravy.

175 gm regular or preferably white butter, 1/2 kg tomato puree, 100 gm fresh cream, 4 to 5 green chillies sliced down the middle, 1/2 tsp each of sugar, jeera, red chilli powder, kasuri methi and salt to taste.

Make sure that the chicken is marinated and refrigerated for at least 6 hours or overnight before you put it in the oven. A clay oven is ideal but I use a regular oven (preheated) at 180 degrees and full power to roast the chicken for 15 minutes until it’s just a little underdone.

Now add half the butter in a kadhai and pour in the tomato puree. Saute for 3-5 minutes and add all the masalas. Now add the roasted chicken, white butter, the fresh cream, chillies and kasuri methi. Now simmer the gravy until the chicken is completely cooked. Serve hot with naan. Life set!

Sali per eedu

sali per eeduMumbai bawajis are known for breaking an egg in everything. But this eedu (egg) recipe is arguably the best in the Parsi bhona treasure trove. It’s simple yet a bit tricky. This recipe is essentially fried egg on top of fried potato chips/shavings. It’s tricky because while the egg cooks through, the sali must not burn or steam up to being soft instead of crunchy J

All you need for this is eggs and potato sali, the thinner the better. Now, heat 1 tsp of ghee/unsalted butter and add Sali –potato chips – in the pan so that they form a circle on top of which you break an egg. That would be just the same way as you would do when you make fried eggs.

Sprinkle 2-3 drops of water on the egg (not the sali) and cover the pan. In about 30 sec, the egg would get some colour and it’s ready to eat. Season it well and ensure that the potato shavings do not become soggy before you serve.

Tandoori fish

This fish recipe is by far my most favourite. It is also a hot favourite of fitness addicts, too. Low in calories, it packs in a punch of flavour. All you need is a wholetandoori fish big 1/2 kilo white fish, preferably a pomfret.

For the marinade: take 6-7 cloves of garlic, 2 tbsp coriander leaves, 2 inches ginger, 2 tbsp lime juice, 1 tbsp Kashmiri red chili powder, 1/2 tsp jeera powder, 1/2 tbsp garam masala, 1 ½ tsp salt, 50 ml refined vegetable oil, 1 tbsp ‘roasted’ gram flour, 100 gm thick dahi.

Take all the ingredients (other than oil and curd) and blitz in a mixer to make a fine paste. Add to the oil and dahi and make a thick paste. Now marinate the fish by giving it 3 slits in the middle. Make sure you rub the marinade in the fish as well for even coating. Keep the marinated fish aside for 1 hour.

Now pre heat the oven at 200 Degree C. Put the fish on the top rack for 7 to 8 minutes, turning it once after 3 minutes. If you don’t want to use the oven, you can simply put it on the tawa and oil grill it. Baste it well with the marinade during cooking. Serve will lemon segments stuffed between slits and some garden salad.

I hope you will explore at least one of these recipes during these ban day. It would not just add vivid aromas to your home kitchen, but will also reiterate your freedom to ‘meat the ban’ the way you like it J

Anurita Gupta is a media professional who is passionate about two things – food and radio. Her love for all things food makes her a foodie with a cause.

(Pictures courtesy Anurita Gupta)

Categories
Event

Attend: Launch of ‘Rest in Peace’ by Kiran Nagarkar

The celebrated author will unveil the the third book in the Ravan and Eddie trilogy this evening at Kala Ghoda.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

The phenomenal success of Ravan And Eddie after its publication in 1994 made its author Kiran Nagarkar one of India’s most celebrated literary names. He followed up this novel with Cuckold three years later, for which he won the Sahitya Akademi award.

The story of a Maratha Hindu and a Catholic boy growing up together in a Mumbai chawl, Ravan and Eddie was an incisive look into the city’s chawl life. Unrelenting in its grimness but laced with everyday humour and a generous amount of pathos, the story resonated with readers in a way that few city-based works had.

Today, Nagarkar will unveil the third book in the Ravan and Eddie trilogy – Rest in Peace. The book will be unveiled at Max Mueller Bhavan, Kala Ghoda. Actor Shabana Azmi will launch the book and read from it, while journalist Naresh Fernandes will lead a critique on the book.

The event is free and open to all. The launch starts at 6 pm, Gallerie Max Mueller.

(Picture courtesy kirannagarkar.com)

Categories
Enough said

If the Syrians came to India…

…they would most likely be banned. Which would be okay, considering how we treated last year’s Burmese refugees in Delhi.
Humra Quraishiby Humra Quraishi

It is still hard to see the picture of little Aylan Kurdi and not cry. The three-year-old Syrian boy’s body was washed ashore after the dinghy he and his family were in capsized as they fled to Greece. Along with pain at the fate of a young life snuffed out through no fault of its own, is the numbness of knowing that all the Syrian refugees are actually fleeing into nowhere, with no future.

Though a few countries have acknowledged that they would take a few refugees, the fact is that nobody wants the burden of housing scores of people from another land. At least some European nations opened their borders; the rich Arab nations have still not done so!

Though there is no possibility of this happening, but I can’t help wondering what would happen in the Syrian refugees somehow found their way to our shores. I think their entry would be banned straightaway – after all, we are so fond of banning everything in sight. Even if they did sneak in, they would be constantly under the scanner as troublemakers, or worse, suspects connected to ISIS or similar outfits!

What is ironical is that though more than half of New Delhi’s population comprises refugees at some point – they themselves, if not their parents and grandparents – have fled from undivided Punjab during the Partition, their attitude towards migrants and refugees is completely deplorable. Last year, hundreds of Burmese refugees, the Rohingyas, fled their land to seek refuge in Delhi.

Not only was their condition hard to describe when they got here, their condition is even worse today. Neglected and shunned by the capital city, they continue to live in squalor. When they arrived here, they hadn’t eaten in days, and most were malnourished and about to die. Nothing has changed today – they live in a disease-infested ghetto near Kalindi Kunj in New Dlehi, close to the outer fringes of Okhla. I would say they are living like outcasts, worse than animals. I wish their entry had been banned instead.

Humra Quraishi is a senior political journalist based in Gurgaon. She is the author of Kashmir: The Untold Story and co-author of Simply Khushwant.

(Picture courtesy

Categories
grey space

Living and loving Mumbai and India

Robin Reister writes about how Indians view the concept of medicine, and how the idea of gratitude supersedes everything else.
Robin Reister

Part II

In Part I published yesterday, medical student Robin Reister had described her impressions of India.

I think the greatest benefit of students’ involvement in global health is the impact it has on the student herself. I would not be the person or doctor that I am if it wasn’t for my community service and global health experiences. My experience in India humbled me and took my breath away several times.

I noticed that people were not getting the primary care they needed. Indians would rather treat themselves at home, with naturopathic or Ayurvedic medicine or an antibiotic they picked up at a pharmacy without a prescription, than go to a doctor.

 

The family that I stayed with told me that instead of selling their printing company, they just gave it to their employers as a sign of gratitude for years of hard work. Both NGOs I worked with (Nightingale Trust, Bangalore and Silver Innings Foundation, Mumbai) were started by individuals who used a variety of self-funding for years to keep them alive. The fact that everything seems to work out so well in the face of so much constant chaos in India, I can only attribute to the amazing way everyone is constantly helping their fellow man. As my rotation had a large focus on human rights, I think this observation of hospitality, selflessness, and charity made the largest impression on me.

When I explored the Indian people’s perception of health care in their country, I was surprised at how little people complained, which was much less than I feel we do here in America. I found myself looking for problems, asking leading questions to get to the bottom of it. What I found is that most people say they get medical care when they need it, and at not too high of a cost. Very few people have insurance, and there is no Medicaid or Medicare equivalent for the destitute and elderly.

However, with the lower cost of health care due partly to the lack of insurance companies, most people get what they need.  I asked, “What if you get cancer?  What if you have diabetes? What if you’re the poorest of the poor?” Most of the responses were basically that if you have chronic diseases there are schemes available to help, and that there are good Government hospitals that are free to the poor.

But when I got to the bottom of it, I noticed that people were not getting the primary care they needed. Indians would rather treat themselves at home, with naturopathic or Ayurvedic medicine or an antibiotic they picked up at a pharmacy without a prescription, than go to a doctor. With this pattern comes many late presentations of disease. This problem is sure to get worse with the increasing levels of diabetes, and this does not seem to be being addressed as of now.

Having soaked in the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of a country as large and busy as India gives me a great perspective on the rest of the world.  Almost 1/6th of the world’s people are on the subcontinent, and I have gained confidence after living how that huge chunk of the world lives. Like any time I leave the USA, I am reminded of the incredible luxuries that we have here. Potable water, roads that aren’t littered with garbage, potholes, cows, and unbelievably bad traffic, and decent access to health care.

Also, my freedom as a woman and as an American are something I take for granted. I was disappointed to see women in India not usually being treated as equals, and I constantly heard about the corruption of the Government with attitudes of hopelessness to change. But I will never forget the kindness and incredible selflessness I witnessed by my mentors, my hosts, and even strangers in India. Also there is great beauty in everything in India, from the temples, the delicious food, and the smells of jasmine and incense burning. This global health experience has enriched my education in medicine and human rights, and also personally enriched my life.

Robin Reister visited India as a medical student in 2011. Today, she is a practicing doctor in a hospital in New York. ‘Grey Space’ is a weekly column on senior citizen issues. If you have an anecdote or leagl information, or anything you feel is useful to senior citizens, caregives and the society at large, feel free to get it published in this space. Write to editor@themetrognome.in or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Themetrognome.in and we will publish your account.

(Pictures courtesy Robin Reister)

Categories
Achieve

Fulfil your dream of studying abroad

Follow this 7 step guide that covers everything from researching your study options to getting accepted at a foreign university.
by Rohan Ganeriwala, Co- Founder, Collegify

1. Study Abroad programmes are becoming increasingly attractive as more and more college students seek meaningful ways to spend college breaks or explore true diversity of cultures. As a result, not only has a great international programme become more expensive, but also a lot more competitive to get accepted in to.

2. Research. Talk to parents, teachers, current students abroad as well as alumni to evaluate if you would be interested in studying abroad. Contact an education consultant who is looking into study abroad applications to understand what’s best for you, how you should plan your timeline of standardised tests and applications to colleges abroad. Remember to study hard for your standardised tests (SAT, SAT Subject Tests, ACT, TOEFL, IELTS etc.) and register well in advance. Plan your test dates well so you have time to retake if required.

3. Build your profile. It’s important to build your student profile with project work, summer internships, extra-curricular activities and volunteer work. If you know the industry you’re looking to get into, network with people in this industry to understand job trends and skill set required to enter the industry as it well help you in selecting programs and schools for applications. Shortlist universities with your education consultant and carefully evaluate the available options criteria such as offered programmes, rankings, location, campus life, eligibility, scholarship and financial aid opportunities.

4. Look for new horizons. Some destinations like the US and the UK are well known to international students but the picture is changing and new study abroad destinations are making head way. University World News recently featured India as an increasingly popular destination for study abroad. Given today’s global economies, it is imperative that all students acquire knowledge of and sensitivity to global issues. This knowledge and experience will enable students to participate fully in tomorrow’s workforce that will be even more ethnically and culturally diverse than it is today. Students are spending thrice the amount only for accommodation, away from families and home.

Research the university. Finalise universities after thorough research online, speaking to current students and alumni, and maybe attending a college education fair where you get to interact with faculty and staff members from the universities. Work on application documents such as worksheets, essays, short-question answers, statement of purpose, high school transcripts, predicted scores and mark sheets as per the requirements of the universities.

Contact admissions committees of colleges you are applying to with queries and doubts. They are always happy to help you out and their guidance may highlight points that an admission consultant or the college website may not provide. Including these insights in your documents may give you an edge over the other candidates.

5. Prepare your documents docket. Compile all the application documentation such as resumes, essays, worksheets, letters of recommendation, certificates and financial aid forms if required and forward the final packet to universities well before their deadlines to ensure timely receipt and consideration of your application.

6. Prepare for interviews. Some universities may schedule interviews with you before granting admission or if they consider you for scholarships. Prepare for the same and make sure you keep corresponding with the admissions office regularly. When you hear from colleges regarding your acceptances, select a college and enroll well before the deadline. This usually requires the payment of a fee.

7. Get your personal documents in order. Lastly, get your passport, visa and financial documentation in order along with health immunisations, health insurance, a credit card that works the world over, and your travel bookings. While loans are always an option, we encourage students to apply for scholarships or need-based financial aid first. To apply for scholarships, you will require an IELTS score of 6.5. India has only 27,000 foreign students and has no plans for any regulated increase because of controls in higher education. Also vocational education percentage in India is at meagre 5% of its total employed workforce of 459.10 million as against 95% of South Korea, 80% of Japan and 70% of Germany.

You’re now ready for a great experience abroad!

Categories
grey space

The problems of the old in Incredible India

An American medical student writes about interacting with seniors in Mumbai and Bangalore and the many insights into Indian life.
by Robin Reister

Part I

India is big, crowded, and changing faster economically and socially than it can seem to keep up with. The largest democracy in the world with over one billion people, it is completely overwhelming and exhilarating, but there is also a prevalent warmth and hospitality within the people wherever you go.

India’s history is as rich and colourful as it can get, with hundreds of different conquerors and border changes, the famous story of independence led by Mahatma Gandhi, and evidence of it all remaining in the temples, statues, and preservations of countless historical sites. The culture is heavily influenced by religion and their daily rituals influence almost every part of the lives of the Hindu people I interacted with. Muslims and Christians, along with Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Jews, and Zorastrians also are seen openly practicing their religions, and all living in relative peace and symbiosis with each other.

Robin Reister with seniors in Mumbai

But when talking to the locals about what is changing, especially from the elderly generation, you hear about the huge social changes taking place. The breakdown of the Indian family model, which used to be comprised of a large household with all generations, is now becoming nuclear and leaving many from the silver generation without a home.

My rotation focussed on the health and social issues of the elderly population in India. I worked with a multi-faceted medical NGO in Bangalore, the Nightingale Trust, whose realm includes home medical care, an inpatient dementia care unit, adult day care, and rural medical visits amongst other things.  I also worked with a newer NGO in Mumbai known as Silver Inning Foundation which uses social networking and media to help address multiple human rights issues and needs of the elderly. My goals in this rotation were to learn about the health and human rights issues involving the elderly in India and compare them to the USA’s, share my knowledge and ideas with the Indian people I work with, and use my connections and what I learned in the future in some way to help address these and similar problems.

Before leaving, I had some grasp on the issues affecting the elderly. I had heard that there were rising amounts of elderly people due to increasing life expectancy, and little infrastructure to support them. Also I knew rates of diabetes were on the rise. I wanted to explore the issues from a medical and human rights perspective, as are my interests. On arriving, I found that these things were true, and more. Again and again I heard the stories of children abandoning their parents, or moving away to the US. There was no Government support to help them finance their daily life. Rates of depression have increased in the elderly as an outcome of the changing family structure too.

The NGOs I worked with were helping to address these issues. I was a part of these NGOs as an observer and short-term worker. I think my presence benefitted the people I interacted with by sharing my knowledge of how the elderly are treated in America and by showing my support of the activities and the people in need.

Tomorrow: ‘Do not complain about health issues’ is the Indian’s mantra.

Robin Reister visited India in 2011. Today, she is a practicing doctor in a hospital in New York. ‘Grey Space’ is a weekly column on senior citizen issues. If you have an anecdote or leagl information, or anything you feel is useful to senior citizens, caregives and the society at large, feel free to get it published in this space. Write to editor@themetrognome.in or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Themetrognome.in and we will publish your account.

(Pictures courtesy Robin Reister and Silver Innings Foundation)

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