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Who needs antioxidants?

Everybody, apparently. But do you know what you need to eat and drink in order to get the optimum amount?
anuritaby Anurita Gupta

Amongst all things ‘anti’ that are trending today, the one that wins the race hands down is ‘anti’-oxidant!

While driving back from a teenybopper flick recently and watching 14-somethings have green tea in order to fit in to their party dresses, I figured, antioxidants are simply the rage with not just the 50-plus health conscious lot, but also youngsters! So, what’s really the antioxidant story?

What are antioxidants?
The dictionary defines ‘antioxidants’ as ‘a substance that inhibits oxidation, that removes potentially damaging oxidising agents in a living organism.’

Dr Mark Pereira, renowned Mumbai-based cardiologist explains, “In layman’s terms, an antioxidant is that category of food that we consume in order to neutralise the harmful effect of free radicals in our body that is a byproduct of the oxygen we breathe. They are known as ‘super foods’ because, if consumed regularly along with a daily routine of exercise, they ensure the running of a healthy heart.”

No wonder then, my office pantry has now introduced ‘Green tea’ as an option to coffee and chai as well. I am suregreen tea you agree that antioxidants have become a style statement. But do we really understand what an antioxidant does, or are we simply complying with what everybody else thinks, ie looking good = green tea?

The secret to health is and has always been ‘balance’. Take for instance, your car. You put in the best fuel available in the market in order to ensure great mileage. However, over a period of time this same fuel clogs up the fuel injectors. Which is where, the hero ‘octane booster’ jumps in to minimise fumes. Now if you keep feeding your car with just boosters and no fuel it will certainly not run. The same applies to our body.

Dr Loveleena Nadir, famous gynaecologist at Fortis le’ Femme, Delhi who works extensively on the health and nutrition of her patients explains, “Having a balanced diet is the key to purple_grapeslong lasting health. It serves as the main fuel while antioxidants are the super efficient fuel boosters that unclog the engine of our body, thereby benefitting it extensively. They are present in fruit and vegetables of various colours. For instance, purple foods like grapes are rich in an antioxidant called resveratrol that works on our body exactly like exercise and promotes healthy insulin levels. So, one should enjoy a glass of red wine every now and then while managing a good exercise routine.”

According to Dr Nadir, the ‘5 plates, 5 colours’ mantra works brilliantly. This pretty much means that if we take 5 to 7 servings (about 150 grams) of fresh fruit of 5 different colours then we would have had our ideal dose of antioxidants.

Get your dose of antioxidants now

– Did you know that if you have a cup of tomato juice it can actually be the best sunblock ever? The lycopene available in tomato shields the skin from the sun by almost 35 per cent. So that’s one more excuse to have that (virgin) Bloody Mary.

– Berries and dark chocolate are rich in another family of antioxidants called polyphenol flavonoids, that heighten memory and concentration, increase blood flow and give higher immunity – but you have to watch out for the high sugar content of sugar in them.

red fruit– If you want a healthy heart with less chances of stroke, then you must adhere to the saying, ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away’. This is because red-coloured fruit such as apples, decrease clot formation in our body.

– Similarly, yellow-orange range of fruit and vegetables helps fight against cancer of all kinds. Go ahead, indulge in some yummy pumpkin-carrot soup. Also zero in on the most commonly-known antioxidant, Vitamin C, which is available in orange, lemons, papayas and yellow bell peppers.

– Yellow green-hued vegetables like spinach, mustard, green peas have caretenoids that can make the hair and eyes shine.

– Greens like broccoli, sprouts and cabbage are good for liver and decrease incidence of colon-related issues. broccoli

So use this information to load your shopping basket with all the right things now on. If you’re still wondering why antioxidants have become fashionable, then here’s something to think about: our body is otherwise pretty well armed to fight pesky free radicals, but its optimum functioning is compromised when we pick up that tin of instant or preserved food from the stores or order in a pizza for dinner. The body also suffers from daily office work, traffic snarls, less than seven hours of sleep and our couch potato lifestyles.

(Pictures courtesy blog.medi-share.org, thenailartandbeautydiaries.wordpress.com, www.burnthillsny.com, jootix.com, www.worldcommunitycookbook.org)

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Eating out, Mumbai ishtyle – Part III

The last of the three-part series on Mumbai’s most preferred food joints, their specialties and the real swaad of Mumbai.
anuritaby Anurita Gupta

In Part I and Part II, I spoke about the city’s heavenly eating out experiences and food joints. Today, I conclude my thoughts on the awesomeness that is eating out in Mumbai.

Bombay Sandwich joints: The hard-working Mumbaikar literally lives ‘between breads’. Mumbai’s favourite quick fix snack is most definitely a sandwich. The Bombay sandwich is usually loaded with fresh beetroot, cucumber and tomato slices with grated cheese and served with green and red chutney. Its many variations are ‘chutney sandwich’, the ‘grilled cheese sandwich’ and ‘chutney cheese toast’. In a fancier avatar, many international and local chains serve the sandwich in the form of oven baked breads packed with cold cuts and Swiss cheese.

Hot tip: For the true blue Mumbai-sandwich experience, try Swastik Sandwizza, Santacruz Market. Their veggie bombay sandwichsandwich has crowds swarming outside this tiny shop to get a bite. Right Place at Warden Road is another hot spot for grilled cheese sandwich with a ‘secret’ recipe sauce. The humble chutney sandwich at Candies, Bandra is quite a hit too.

For an international experience, try the cheesy, corned beef sandwich called ‘Ruben’s’ at Between Breads, opposite Hawaiin Shack, Bandra (West). The ‘Sloppy joe’ at Indigo Deli, Phoenix Mills is a hot number, too. Sante at Pali Mala Road, Bandra serves the yummiest ‘Ham and Brie’ sandwich.sorpotel

Goan food restaurants: Goan cuisine is primarily made with the three tropical ingredients of seafood, coconut milk, and local Goan spices. The flavours are super intense with extensive amount of kokum used to counter the spiciness. Interestingly, this cuisine has many influences of not just the Portuguese era but also has undercurrents of Hindu and international cuisines by virtue of its flourishing tourism.

Goan food that is really popular in Mumbai is Goan fish and prawn curry, Pork Vindaloo, Goan pork sausages, Pork Sorpotel, Prawns balchao and Xacuti (non-veg and veg). Interestingly, the Sorpotel (see pic on left) comprises pig blood as well. Its unique flavour is enhanced when you have it with par-boiled white rice or bread. The most famous is Pork Vindaloo, a combination of spices, red chillies and a huge amount of vinegar.  Non vegetarian aside, the vegetarian Goan food comprises of beans, cashew nuts, potatoes and jaggery.

Hot tip: Enjoy the vegetarian rajma tondak, rich in cashew, Goan pork sausages and Goan Fish curry (mackerel recommended) at Goa Portuguesa at Mahim, near Hinduja Hospital. Jaihind Lunch Home at Bandra and Lower Parel serves a mean Goan Prawns curry. You can also visit the Goa Bhawan canteen, JVPD, Juhu for very reasonably-priced, authentic Goan food.

Mangalorean restaurants: Almost always confused with Malvani cuisine, the one big difference between Mangalorean gassi and a Malvani curry is the ingredient that is responsible crab curry for the khataas factor.  There is tamarind in the gassi and kokum makes the Malvani or Gomantak curry nice and sour. Typically known as the cuisine of ‘Tulu Nadu’ (parts of Kerala and Karnataka that speak Tulu), Mangalorean cuisine is massively influenced by the South Indian cooking style as well. Made with coconut, dried red chillis, ginger and curry leaves, Mangalorean delicacies are usually spicy with fresh seafood being a major component in them.

The most popular dishes in Mumbai are gassi (prawn, fish and vegetable), appam (rice pancakes), Malabari parotta, Mangalorean fish curry, neer dosa (lacy rice crepes), ghee roast chicken, cashew upkari, sannas (Mangalorean version of idlis) and the famous Mangalorean crab curry. Another very popular dish that doesn’t belong to South India or even India, is the ‘butter garlic crab’ (see pic on right) which is on offer at most Mangalorean and Malvani food hubs. It is a such delight to enjoy the soft, sweet crab meat doused in butter garlic sauce!

Hot tip: Enjoy a mean crab curry with hot neer dosa at Mahesh Lunch home, Fort; butter garlic crab and squid gassi can be devoured at Trishna, Kala Ghoda; Jai Prakash, Goregaon (East) has the most amazing prawn and chicken gassi and prawns tawa fry. 

Frankie31-1024x687Mayo rolls and frankie joints: Let’s rock and roll with what can be proudly associated with only Mumbai and no other state – the famous ‘chicken mayonnaise roll’. Diced chicken is sautéed and then mixed with mayonnaise, spiked with a bit of mustard and black pepper and stacked generously between a hotdog roll, minus the sausage. In the same gastronomic scheme is the ‘Bombay frankie’, originally introduced by Tibbs, and which is especially popular with the college crowd. Catering to masala sensibilities are the chicken and egg frankie, chicken curry frankie and the ‘Veg frankie’.  All in all, rolls are indeed a quick pickup food for unstoppable Mumbai.

Hot tip: Try Tibbs chicken frankie at their various outlets. I personally prefer the Shivaji Park one. Hangla’s, Goregoan (East) has the most amazing Calcutta rolls. Try their double chicken double egg roll. The most splendid chicken mayo roll is available at Excelsior, Fort and at Sherry’s in Matunga next to Ruia College. Try the lamb and chicken Shawarma rolls at Maroosh, Phoenix Mills, Lower parel and Inorbit Mall, Malad.

With that I conclude the ‘Eating out – Mumbai Ishtyle’ diaries. If you do take my tips seriously, we are sure to bump into each other some day at one of the food joints where we may happily get our hands dirty enjoying heavenly butter garlic crabs with a shot of toddy!

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 mumbai-magic.blogspot.com, www.pelauts.com, www.paulscooking.com, bengalicuisine.net, ibnlive.in.com)

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Eating out, Mumbai ishtyle – Part II

We continue tracing Mumbai’s gastronomic map, and present four true-to-the-city kinds of eating joints that serve the food we love.
anuritaby Anurita Gupta

Last week, we checked out five very Mumbaiyya eating styles and joints that have Mumbaikars scurrying to eat out at every opportunity. Today, I continue on the food trail across Mumbai with four more types of joints.

Indian Chinese food joints – Street side, take-away or restaurant, Mumbai boasts of the most amazing Chinese food that is remotely inspired by China but which suits the Indian palette. The most famous street-side Chinese is known as galla Chinese, and I’ve gobi manchurian rechristened the food available in restaurants as ‘Chinjabi’ (a combination of Chinese cuisine and Punjabi style of cooking, such as chowmein). We Indians are so happy with our brand of ‘Chinese’ food comprising chilly, garlic, ginger, Schezwan, and Manchurian that I doubt we would relish the bland ‘steamboat’ of Shanghai. Nelson Wang (of China Garden fame) is said to have started this Indo-Chinese blend – it seems like he put together the Indian ingredients of onion, ginger and garlic, but instead of adding garam masala he added soya sauce and cornstarch to the chicken. This is probably how gobi Manchurian came into existence!

Hot tip:  Enjoy galla Chinese at China Man opposite St. Joseph High School, Wadala and Sherry’s next to Ruia College, Matunga that serves fabulous ‘triple schezwan rice’ and ‘crispy chicken’. Order Chinese meal combos from Mr. Chow at Worli. For a high-end food experience, visit China Garden in town that serves yummy Kungpao prawns and beef tepanyaki, while Royal China in Fort serves a delectable Peking duck in orange sauce.

Street side Mughlai food – Coming from the rich history of the Mughals, the Mughlai food we enjoy today is a rendition of the cooking styles typically found in Hyderabad, UP and Delhi, with Pakistani and Persian influences. Its street version is extremely popular in Mumbai.

mughlai rollsTop of the charts are kebabs. Cooked on a charcoal grill, kebabs are made from minced meat and served with thinly-sliced onions and coriander chutney.  The Punjabi version of the cuisine, butter chicken and tandoori chicken, are hot favourites, too.

Hot tip: Enjoy succulent beef and mutton kebabs at Sarvi’s at Byculla, (best ordered in or ‘parcelled’). Mohammad Ali Road in town is perfect for kheeri kaleji (kidney and liver). Bade Miyan’s baida roti is to die for. Harpal’s biryani is the best for ordering in, and ITC Grand Maratha’s Peshawari has the best butter chicken and dal bhukhara.

Some of the less famous mughlai food gems are Maaroosh at Phoenix Mills for chicken tikka and tandoori chicken; Kebab Stall at Union park (next to MOD) for boti kebabs and Universal Kebab Kona outside Wallace Apartments, Slater Road, Tardeo. This last has two guys with very colourful personalities serving yummy ‘pockets’ of fresh bread with mutton or chicken kebab, and green chutney slathered with various cheeses that they make themselves.

South Indian joints: Thambi food joints find their origins in the British Raj when the South Indian ‘tiffin’ service was incredibly popular. Tracing its beginnings to the 1930s, the ‘tiffin’ meant a light meal between meals which used to be typically steamed idlis or crisp vadas made with a batter of rice and lentil, and enjoyed with coconut chutney and sambhar (a spicy and sour mix of lentils and vegetables boiled with tamarind and masala).

The tiffin trend is still a rage. Other than idli-vada, the most sought after are the dosa and uthappam. Many Udipi restaurants have the ‘Meals ready’ facility as well, which means that dosathey have a set vegetarian menu comprising vegetables, sambhar, rice, dahi (curd) and rasam.

Hot Tip: Try the dosaye (dosa) at Anand Bhawan and the Kanchipuram idli at Mysore Café (both at Matunga), which is also famous because Mukesh Ambani heavily endorses it as his favourite breakfast joint. Nearby is the 70-year-old Ramanayak Udipi that offers ready meals.  Madras Café in the same vicinity is supremely popular for its tiffin and South Indian kaapi (coffee).

Mumbai meetha joints: Think sweet in Mumbai, and you think of Shahi Falooda. Made with vermicelli, tapioca pearls, sabza (basil seeds), a bit of rose syrup and milk or vanilla ice cream, the falooda finds its origins in Persia where it was known as faloodeh and became famous here with the Mughal Empire. Another wonderful dessert is the malai  kulfi and its various seasonal fruit versions. The most popular are sitaphal (custard apple), anjeer (figs) and mango. And of course, you can’t get enough of Mumbai’s trademark fruit with cream and ice cream.

FaloodaHot tip: Visit Bachelor’s opposite Chawpatty for the legendary strawberry cream and ice cream, and their mango and kiwi with cream. Badshah’s (at Crawford Market) Shahi falooda is very famous, but the best I have had is at Baba Falooda, Mahim which also serves yummy kesar pista ice cream. Kulfi is synonymous with Gupta Kulfiwallah all over Mumbai, but the best comes from the Kulfi Centre at Girgaum Chowpatty. Serving close to 20 different kulfi varieties, their Zaffran (saffron) flavour is the most popular one but their chocolate kulfi is really special. Haji Ali Juice Centre is also great for Ramadani laddoo and sitaphal cream and ice cream.

Next: We’ll enjoy the unique ‘Bombay sandwich’, explore our love for butter garlic crabs, relish the homely touch of zunka bhakar kendras, roll with Mumbai rolls and rediscover our love for pork sorpotel and other Goan delicacies that Mumbai loves.

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 www.desi-living.com, icetrail.blogspot.com, tarladalal.com, tamalapaku.blogspot.com, mumbai-magic.blogspot.com)

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Eating out, Mumbai ishtyle – Part I

What makes Mumbai’s tummy tick? Presenting five special, unique cooking styles that make the city eat out with a vengeance.
anurita guptaby Anurita Gupta

“Mumbai ki bhelpuri ka jawaab nahin!” exclaims everyone who visits or proudly stays in this fast paced, glittering Bollywood town. The corners of Mumbai streets are ensconced in history with Irani cafes still serving up their trademark brun maska and kheema pao.  Mumbai has evolvedi in all its glory over the years, thanks to the mixing pot of inhabitants who came to this sapnon ka sheher and got along their gastronomic treasure trove as well. No wonder then, we have a special variety of food places satiating our unique Mumbaiya hunger for the food that is ‘exclusive’ to us.

– Gujarati Thali restaurants – Before the dissolving of the ‘Bombay’ State on May 1, 1960, Gujarat and Maharashtra were one. This pretty much explains the presence of the colorful Gujarathi community in Mumbai and the city’s love for Gujarati food. From khamman dhokla and farsaan to aamras puri, the legendary Gujarati thali is not just a gujarati thalifavourite with the ghee-loving foodie Gujaratis but everyone in Mumbai as well. Sweet on the palette, Gujarati thali comprises of starters in the form of sev, gathiya, patrel and chhunda achaar and the mains of dal-bhat-rotli-shaak (lentil-rice-bread-vegetable). This pretty much means three kinds of bhaaji (with special emphasis on batata bhaaji), puri, kadhi, meethi dal and khichdi.

The desserts follow in the end with a bowl full of sutarfeni, sheero (halwa) and gulab jambu. The specialty is not just the food but the service as well. This eat-all-you-want feast has waiters drizzling liberal amounts of ghee on rotli and khichdi and refilling vaatis without you asking for it.

Hot tip: You can enjoy sumptious Gujarati thalis at Preeksha, Shantidoot Hotel in Parel, and at Status Hotel, Nariman point, next to Trident hotel.

– Malvani and Konkani cuisine restaurants – Tracing its roots to the mid-17th Century, when the history of Mumbai started out as a mass of Koli fishing villages, Malvan and Konkan region’s style of cooking have been extremely popular preparations for sea food. That is the reason why Malvani food joints are exclusive to Mumbai (and Maharashtra) and a foodie’s delight.

malvani cuisineThe most popular dish on the menu is Bombil fry. Bombil is a fish which is also commonly known as ‘Bombay Duck’. While there are some who like its dehydrated version with sticky rice (it stinks!), the fried form is a hot favourite!

Bombil is dipped in gram flour (besan) batter, rolled in semolina (rawa) and deep fried. It’s special because it’s crisp on the outside and soft inside, and makes for a brilliant appetizer. In the same list, there is kothimbir vadi’ (fried cakes of coriander and gram flour) and a hit appetizing drink is sol kadhi (a pink concoction of kokum and coconut milk). The most popular non veg dish after Malvani fish curry is Kombdi Vade. Also known as ‘Murgh Malvani’, it’s a conventional Malvani chicken curry served with vade which is like a puri made with ragi and wheat flour.

On the vegetarian side there is phanasachi bhaaji that has phanas i.e. jackfruit, chillies and spices.

Hot tip: Personally, I love the kombdi vade at Malvan restaurant at Thane, Paanch Rasta; Bombil fry at Jai hind, Parel and Bandra; Sol kadhi and lots more is brilliant at Gomantak, Dadar (West); Basa Fry at Gajalee at Phoenix Mills and Vile Parle; Mutton sukka, Prawn koliwada & non-veg thali at Sadeechha, Bandra (East) next to MIG club.

– Irani Cafes: Originally started by the Persian and Iranian communities in Mumbai in the early 19th Century, the eeroon or Irani cafés have their own old world charm. It’s amazing how most of them retain the same kind of colonial look that is marked by high ceilings, with checkered table cloths and antique look furniture.

The glass jars holding jam tarts and rusks are also a classic. Along with that what’s most cherished is the food on the menu (which is also typically stuck under the glass table top) – brun brun-maska at Yazdani Bakerymaska (see pic on right), kheema or chicken patties, ‘Wrestler’s omelette’ (of five eggs), and the very famous Parsi breakfast of akoori. Akoori is the Persian, masala version of scrambled eggs which you can wallop with a dollop of butter and chopped kothmir on top.

For drinks there is the ‘phudina leeli choi’ and ‘Rogers raspberry’. While paying the bill, your pleasure of having a good meal may just be enhanced with a bawa anecdote from the owner himself. Dwindling in number, there are only 25 Irani cafes today in the city in comparison to 350 about 65 years back.

Hot tip: Enjoy the jam tarts and mutton patties at the 102-year-old Kayani & Co. café in town, wrestler’s omelette at Coolers at Kings Circle, the unique berry pulao and sali chicken at Brittania, Kala Ghoda and relish the best mawa cakes at B Merwan’s, Grant road.

– Poli bhaji kendra– Catering to the typically fast life of Mumbai, the purpose of these food hubs is to serve cheap, homemade food on the go. If you travel long distances by train, you can hop into a poli bhaji kendra strategically placed right next to the railway station and pick up fresh food of your choice for office or back home.

Typically put in big tagaras (vessels) in a row you can pick from dal, chawal, roti and bhaaji of the day for a nominal price. Although there is nothing fancy on offer, the vegetarian food is very high on the ‘home feel’ quotient. The popular ones are Annapurna poli bhaji kendra in Thane (West), Zakas and Yash in Kandivali, and Om Chetanya in Parel.

– Street-side chaat corner – Mumbai ki bhel, sev puri, dahi batata puri and the super famous, talked-about in Bollywood films – ragda ‘pattice’ – are unmatched. While Delhi may take pride in its golgappas, papdi chaat and tikki chhole, it can never make a mean bhelpuri like you find on Juhu chowpatty.

dahi batata puriThere is probably no street in Mumbai that doesn’t boast of a patented bhelwallah who does his maximum business in the evening when everyone is looking for a quick chatpata snack. Made from murmure (puffed rice), fried puri, chana daal, onions, boiled potatoes, raw mangoes and red and green chutney with a liberal sprinkling of sev, the Mumbai bhelpuri is a must to close the hectic day before dinner.

Hot tip: While you can’t quite go wrong with the bhelpuri in the city, you must try the ragda patties of the chaat centre next to Matunga Station. Khau galli, Ghatkopar has the most delicious, butter-soaked pav bhaji and  you have to try the batata vadas at Shrikrishna, near Chabildas High School, Dadar Market. The stalls at chowpatty have the best sev puri and kaala khatta. Juhu beach promises the ultimate dahi puri if you can fight the traffic leading to it and the crowds there as well.

 

 

Next: South Indian tiffin and Udipi joints, Maharashtrian bhojanalays, Mangalorean lunch homes, Mumbai’s galla Chinese and street-side Mughlai food hubs.

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 www.outlookindia.com, redscarabtravelandmedia.wordpress.com, amirashah.wordpress.com, www.sephi.com, www.in.com, www.outlookindia.com, innainindia.blogspot.com, erecipeguide.com, www.akshayapaatram.com, www.monsoonspice.com)

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A very sweet mango story

Everyone has a childhood tale attached to mangoes. This lovely fruit can also be used in several unique home recipes.
anuritaby Anurita Gupta

Aam ke aam, guthliyon ke daam. This famous muhawara is my favourite, not because I care what it means but simply because it has aam and guthli in it. India is the biggest producer of the mango in the world, and it goes without saying that this fruit is a very special one, indeed.

Talking about the sheer joy that the mango brings, famous psychiatrist Dr Sanjay Chugh says, “The mango satiates our senses at many levels. The sense of sight is gratified with the beautiful orange-yellow colour of the fruit, the sense of touch is fulfilled while holding its soft flesh, and needless to say, the sense of taste is rewarded with the incomparable flavour of this fruit which is eaten in copious amounts and is available in many varieties.”

Scientifically known as ‘Mangifera Indica’, the mango, in all its glory, is found extensively in southern Asia. It is known to be very high aam panna in probiotics, vitamin A and C, and other essential nutrients like potassium and copper. It is known to be a very strong antioxidant, since it is really high in polyphenol flavinoids.

Childhood tales

I think mangoes are also so special to us Indians because they have a whole load of nostalgia attached to them, just like old photos! As kids, all of us have been part of or have heard an ‘aam chori ki kahani’. My aam ki kahani is from my childhood when we would visit my naani whose house had a backyard with close to 15 varieties of mango trees. My naani very proudly used to tell us how one can identify a ‘langra’ and a ‘totapuri’ and how ‘alphonso’ is wrongly thought of as the best of the lot while the humble ‘dusshehri’ should be crowned with that glory.

Naani was supremely possesive about her bagiya ke aam. While she would enjoy her afternoon siesta, my cousins and I would get together and pretty much rob all the mangoes from the trees while jumping from one tree to the other. It was quite an adventure, considering one of us had a fractured arm and another one retired hurt thanks to a bee attack, but it was fun nonetheless. The whole day thereafter saw parents running to the doctors with the ‘injured soldiers’ while the lucky ones enjoyed the spoils of the afternoon.

We would make green mango panna, which is extremely refreshing in the summer heat, and mango chutney was also another favourite that used to be an accompaniment to the moong dal chawal that naani used to lovingly make for us.

When in season, you can put mango in any and everything. So whether it is mango dal or mango murabba, it’s a universal ingredient. These are a few unique mango recipes:

mamidayaka pappu– Mamidikaya pappu (Andhra’s mango dal) : This lentil recipe consists of raw mangoes. Pressure cook tur dal with some turmeric till it is soft. Mash the dal and keep aside. For the tempering, splutter mustard seeds in oil, hing and a spoonful of urad dal. Add chopped onion and green chillies and sauté till onions are soft. Now add sliced mango and a pinch of salt and cook till the mango is soft. Finally add to the mashed dal and enjoy hot on white rice (see pic on left).

– Thai mango chicken curry: Use slightly unripe mangoes for this one. Simply soften a few onions and add a packet of yellow curry paste and sauté for 5 minutes. Add coconut milk and then add two diced mangoes to it. Simmer for 5 minutes and then add boneless chicken to it. Keep adding water or coconut milk until chicken is cooked. Serve with sticky rice.

– Chettu manga achar (Instant mango pickle): No need to wait days on end to enjoy aam ka achar. This pickle recipe is famous in Kerala and can be made in a jiffy. All you need to do is cut raw mango with its skin intact into bite-sized pieces. Grind mustard seeds coarsely. Add this coarse powder, salt, some coconut oil and hing to the mango and mix. The pickle should be ready in half an hour. mango pickle

– Punjabi gudamba: This refreshing drink is especially famous in the North, and so simple to make that we would make it as kids. Whistle up a mixture of raw and ripe mangoes in a pressure cooker. Remove the skin and squeeze the pulp along with salt and dried mint leaves in a mixer. Give it a whirl, add water to make a desired consistency. Add jaggery to it and refrigerate for a couple of hours. Enjoy on a hot summer evening.

– Mango-melon soup: This one is unique and supremely enjoyed by our khandaan of 15 people at the table! More on the lines of punch, this mango-melon combo is perfect for the season, especially before breakfast. It is a ‘soup’ because instead of croutons, you can dunk chunks of mango in this otherwise refreshing juice of honey musk melons and mangoes. You can also make a smoothie by skipping the mango chunks and churning up the fruit with some home-made dahi.

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 www.boldsky.com, www.sailusfood.com, en.wikipedia.org, www.newgourmetrecipes.com)

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Break that fast

There’s something called a ‘dashboard breakfast’ getting popular among busy people. And it’s not doing them a bit of good.
by Anurita Gupta

‘Subah ho gayee mamu’, the radio rings in a new day and you yawn back into a morning slumber only to ‘sleep think’ the deeds of the day. You mentally start processing your work day: files, Facebook, presentations, lunch meetings and before all that, What To Wear?

But between all this, are you also thinking: Breakfast? I am sure not. Robert Heinlein said, “One should not attend even the end of the world without a good breakfast.” Par log toh apni mummy ki nahin sunte, Robert ki kya sunenge!

No wonder then, I see so many people driving to work in the morning with one hand on the steering wheel and the other holding a sandwich. This phenomenon has become so common that psychology has given it a very apt term – ‘dashboard breakfast’.

vermicelli upmaDr Anjali Chhabria, renowned Mumbai-based psychiatrist speaks about this lifestyle trend thus: “The culture of ‘dashboard breakfast’ is very common in urban cities where there is no time to stand and stare. A leisurely breakfast is unfortunately considered a waste of time. In the morning, people have so many things to do. While driving the car, attending work calls and trying to have a breakfast at the same time gives you stress even before you start your day.”

This means that in our bid to be a Jack of all trades, we have learnt to robotically plan the day but we’ve forgetten to fuel it with a hearty breakfast.

To me, breakfast is a joy. It is merawala time with my choice of food that is guilt-free, with no added tension of counting calories. I start thinking of the aloo ke paranthe with home-churned white butter happily sitting on top, meethe dahi ki vaati, kaanda poha, vegetable upma, idli with fresh nariyal chutney, freshly-squeezed orange juice, French press coffee, and masala chai.

And then there are the firang days filled with fresh waffles with blue berry compote and maple syrup that the husband proudly makes, or lustrous cheese scrambled eggs with burnt garlic twirls and parsley on top, hot brown bread, soft butter in a dish, strawberry jam, and yummy sausages and ham.

I am so grateful that breakfast has always been a celebration in my house from the very beginning! Whether it is indoors while the July rains tap dance on the windows, or in the light winter sun enjoying the company of my extended family, it is one meal that really gets the ball rolling for the day, not just physically but emotionally as well.

Dr Chhabria very rightly explains, “The minute you start your day, you should spend some time with yourself. Breakfast is, in fact, a good time to gather your thoughts and be in touch parathewith your innermost feelings. That helps you to become a collective calm self which will make you rather successful, in comparison to someone who is always rushed like a headless chicken.”

So the effort to save those 15 minutes in order to spend them on a Powerpoint Presentation may not really be a wise decision. That is precisely the reason why I am not going to give you some quick fix, ready-in-a-jiffy breakfast recipes because I don’t think our first meal of the day deserves that. It is called breakfast because it comes after at least 10 hours of fasting after the night before dinner. It ought to be treated with respect otherwise, like our own shastras say, we become what we do while we eat. Just think – do you want to be a bag of nerves who is always pressed for time or a calm, positive and confident human being who enjoys life?

The choice is yours.

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 www.parentsociety.com, honestcooking.com, www.tarladalal.com)

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