Family favourites

A family recipe is as much an heirloom as a diamond. Barnalee Handique speaks to women who have mastered unifying family treats Food is a binding force, not unlike gravity. Ask any newlywed who has had to cook for the family. The key to integration is mastering a family recipe so that no one can tell who made it. After all, the kitchen is the heart of a home. No wonder then that family recipes are zealously guarded and practised to precision. We speak to three Punekars about what makes a family recipe perfect. Sumedha Bhattacharyya, 32, teacher, Wanawadi Being born into a traditional Bengali family, I already knew the nuances of our traditional cooking and after I got married, I made my grandmother’s dishes for my husband. However, he prefers my mother-in-law’s aloo-posto (potatoes with poppy seeds). It’s a delicious dry accompaniment to rice and curries. I didn’t know what I was doing wrong — was it the spices? Or the amount of oil? Or the ghee? I started assisting my mother-in-law whenever she was making it and learnt the secret. The potatoes have to be cut uniformly and fried until golden. The posto has to be soaked and ground to a fine paste, before adding it to the dish. Aloo Posto Ingredients 5 - 6 medium-sized potatoes 2 green chillies 2 tbsp mustard oil 1 tsp pure ghee 1/2 tsp onion seeds (kalonji) 4 tbsp poppy seeds (khuskhus) Salt to taste Method Cut the potatoes into one-inch pieces and soak them in water. Soak poppy seeds in a cup of warm water for 15 to 20 minutes. Drain the water and grind the poppy seeds into a fine paste. Heat mustard oil in a pot till it reaches smoking point. Let it cool and heat again on medium heat. Sauté kalonji in oil. Add potatoes and fry on medium heat for about five minutes. Stir in poppy seed paste. Pour in half a cup of water and stir fry on low heat until the potatoes are almost cooked. Now mix salt and slit green chillies. Continue to stir fry for another hew minutes until potatoes are completely cooked. Serve with a dollop of ghee. Neha Rajput, 30, homemaker, Wanawadi My husband is a foodie so I really love cooking different dishes for him. Though I have not trained formally, I am able to make dishes such as kadhi, methi muthia, bajra and moong dal khichdi. His favourite is my dal-kichdi, served with ghee. He likes it so much that I make it every alternate day. But his all-time favourite is methi thepla that my mother-in-law serves with chutney or ghee. I have mastered the art from her. The theplas are made of wheat flour and fenugreek leaves. The secret lies in making the perfect dough — a right balance of spices and fenugreek leaves. My mother-in-law has tutored me in kneading the dough perfectly. While rolling out the theplas, she insists that they be even on all sides. Methi theplas Ingredients 1 cup wheat flour 1 bunch fenugreek leaves 2 tbsp coriander leaves Pinch red chilli Powder 1/2 tbsp: coriander Powder Pinch of turmeric Pinch of asafoetida 1/2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste 1 teaspoon oil Salt to taste Curd-optional (for kneading) Method Add water as needed in small incremental quantities and knead all the ingredients into a smooth, soft dough (like roti dough). Grease its surface with oil. Cover the dough with clean muslin cloth and leave aside for 15-20 minutes. Divide into seven equal parts and roll them into even balls. Roll evenly and roast on a tawa. Serve with liberal amount of ghee. Monisha Merchant, 40, homemaker, Wanawadi I knew only the basics of cooking, and after marriage I was ensconced into a large joint family. My sisters-in-law are good cooks and always trying out new recipes. I started helping out in the kitchen and it was a great accomplishment for me when I was able to make chole-bhature for the whole family. My husband loved it. That was the best compliment. Now I am trying to perfect the delicate khandvi my mother-in-law makes. The trick in making this soft fluffy snack lies in stirring the paste to the right consistency so that it can be rolled out evenly. But let me share the chole bhature recipe with you… Chole bhature Ingredients: 1 cup chickpeas, 1 green chilli, ½ tsp chilli powder, 1 tsp coriander powder, 1 tsp garam masala or chhole masala, 1/2 tsp amchur, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp sugar, pinch of asafoetida (optional) and salt as per taste Khada masala 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 large bay leaf, 2-inch piece of cinnamon, 2-3 cloves, 2 green cardamoms, 2-3 black peppercorns For gravy: Grind into paste: 1 medium sized onion, 2 tomatoes, ½-inch ginger, 3 to 4 cloves of garlic and all the masala mentioned aboveut Method: Grind green chillies and ginger together. Mix gram flour, buttermilk, turmeric powder, asafoetida, green chilli paste and salt together. Test thickness by spreading a bit on a plate. If after cooling for about one minute, the mixture can be rolled and lifted, it is ready for spreading. Spread the rest thinly and evenly, with the back of a spoon, on any working surface. Let cool and cut in 2-inch strips. Roll up the strips (like mini Swiss rolls) and arrange on a plate. Heat oil in a vessel and fry the mustard seeds. When the seeds start popping, take off fire, add the asafoetida and pour over the arranged rolls.

Different dhol tasha groups gears for the Ganpati festival

The city’s beautiful Ganpati mandals are incomplete without the dhol tasha beats that welcome Bappa. As the most eagerly-anticipated event of the year nears, youngsters from the various dhol-tasha groups in the city are gearing up for the grand festival with gruelling rehearsals that can be heard right in the heart of the city once the evening approaches. Presently, the city has about 250 pathaks in the city with members ranging from 250 to 300. Various pathaks like Naadbrahma, Samartha Pratisthan Dhol Tasa, Ramaanbaug, Yuva Vadya Pathak, Shiv Pratap Vadya Pathak are all set for the festival. Though traditional music is the all time favourite, some of the pathaks are also adding Bollywood music to their repertoire, for eg the Samartha Pratisthan dhol tasha group, which is the oldest group in the city. Last year, they incorporated the Hothon pe aisi baat and Mungla in their performance. Advocate Pratap Pardeshi, who is an advisor of the Dhol Tasha Association of the city says, “This year there will be 5000 mandals in the city. Each mandal has already got in touch with their favourite pathaks, whom they inform in advance what kind of music they would like to be played during the festival. Most of the pathaks play the traditional beats, but some troupes also incorporate the latest Bollywood music or remixes of favourite Marathi numbers.” But other dhol tasha groups prefer to stick to the traditional music. Reveals Vaibhav Wagh, coordinator, Yuva Vadya Pathak, “Like the last couple of years, we will be playing the traditional beats. We believe that the only way to welcome Bappa is by playing the traditional chants and hymns. We have around 30 plus different tunes in our repertoire which will be played by 120 dhols and 40 tashas. These performances will be interspersed with musical skills and drills.” Different pathaks have already been booked for the first, fifth, seventh and final day of the Ganeshotsav. Deepak Gujar,who is the spokesperson of the Shiv Pratap Vadya Pathak says, “We have been booked for the first and last day of the Ganpati festival for the processions. On the other days of the festival we will be performing in the mandals itself. That will be a different kind of performance, unlike the one we do in the processions.” This year, also watch out for the all-girls dhol tasha groups. The girls' teams are all set to give tough competition to their male counterparts. Tanvi Bedekar, coordinator of Ramanbaug dhol tasha group said, "We have more than 120 members this time round and we will accompany various Ganapati mandals for this year's procession." For the safety of the girls, the groups have ensured proper security for them. As a precautionary measure human chains are formed by the group whenever the girls are performing. Every year, around 25 students of the Poona School and Home for the Blind participate in several dhol tasha groups. This year too, a number of students are planning to join the procession.

These troupes volunteer on this occasion are not paid for the performance. “It is about religious sentiments, spirituality and devotion. It is a kind of meditation for these performers. They play for Bappa and ask for his blessings,” reveals Pardesi. But this doesn’t happen to be true when we contacted different dhol tasha troupes in the city. Reveals Vaibhav Wagh, the coordinator Yuva Vadya Pathak, “Yes, we do take money for our performances, only that much which is need for our expenses. The money is used for travelling, food, for godown rent, to hire a ground for practice and so on. We also need money for the maintenance of dhols and tashas which is tad expensive.” Agrees Deepak Gujar, spokesperson, Shiv Pratap Vadya Pathak, “The leather membranes used in dhols are delicate and fragile. Usually during practice sessions or during performances, it is most likely that a membrane breaks which has to be repaired immediately. It costs Rs.3500 to repair it.” But the members of the different dhol tasha groups believe in working for the society. For instance, every year Gujar and the members of his troupe visit orphanage situated between Wadgoan and Sinhgad road to distribute clothes, books and sweets. On the other hand, Wagh under his Vandemataram organization has adopted the Meravane village in Velhe taluka. During Diwali, a feast is organised after Diwali for the postman, MSEB workers, Municipal workers, fire brigade personnel of the city by the organization. “These workers are on duty during the festival and do not have time to visit the pandals or take part in various festivities. It is our way of thanking them for their contributions,” explains Wagh as he signs off.

Pursuing My Career......I want to become a bank officer

Vipin Singh The student of commerce loved to solve numerical puzzles from childhood Numerical puzzles have interested me from a very young age. I used to spend hours solving them. I think it all started when my mother asked me to calculate the expenditure that we incurred in buying household stuff. Whenever she went shopping for grocery or vegetables, I used to accompany her and keep a tab on the money we spent. I maintained a copy where I used to jot down all the particulars. At the end of the month if I could save `50, it was a great achievement for me. My father was transferred out of Pune when I was in Class X. He entrusted me with the task of handling my mother’s and brother’s expenses. I became an expert in handling money. Saving is my second nature. I would rather save than spend. At the Army Public School, mathematics was my favourite subject and I scored over 90 per cent in exams. I already knew that I wanted to become a banker. So my best alternative was to pursue BCom with specialisation in banking. After Class XII, I took admission at Symbiosis College of Arts and Commerce on Senapati Bapat Road. To know more about banking, I have taken accountancy, international banking, mercantile law, direct and indirect taxes as my subjects. I have secured more than 80 per cent and above in my college exams. After graduating from Symbiosis next year, I will appear for bank probationary exams in India and abroad. I have also joined a coaching institute to help me prepare for CAT, SNAP, GMAT and Bank PO exams. Every bank has entrance exams but if an aspirant clears the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) test, the candidate can be recruited by 19 nationalised banks across the country. My main aim is to get placed in a nationalised bank in the country. (As told to Barnalee Handique)

Transforming the lives of street children with education

Sarva Seva Sangh provides refuge and is trying to secure a life of respect for shelterless kids Unable to bear the physical abuse he suffered at the hands of his alcoholic father, 12-year-old Salman ran away from home in Paharganj in New Delhi and boarded a train. He reached Pune railway station, which became his home. Six-year-old Shyam and his 10-year-old brother Ravi are staying at Sarva Seva Sangh for the past couple of months, whilst their mother begs for alms at the Pune railway station. They both dream of leading a life of respect, and the social centre is helping them realise it. Father Babu Kakkaniyil is the director of Sarva Seva Sangh, a registered charitable society involved in the education, empowerment and rehabilitation of needy children. Started in 1978, the organisation started focusing on the rehabilitation of street children from 1996. Over 1,600 street children, including some affected by HIV/AIDS, and children of CSWs are being supported by the Sangh. The children the Sangh is helping, were ragpickers and garbage collectors, or working at street vendors or begging on the streetside. They are children who have left home due to abusive parents, extreme deprivation and poverty, while some among them have been abandoned by their parents. The Sarva Seva Sangh provides shelter for 36 children, while others have been put up at different hostels across the city. “These children suffer from despair and low self-esteem and do not respond to normal patterns. We try to motivate them and teach the basics of personal hygiene. Used to an independent way of life on the streets, they refuse to be disciplined in the beginning. Some even run away from our home. But when they return, they bring with them more children. After all, there is always food and bed waiting for them,” Father Kakkaniyil said. The organisation aims to help these children find a purpose in life. They are encouraged to get an education and are provided books, clothes, food, shelter and medicine. The Sangh has also launched a mobile school for children at slums, pavements and construction sites. Besides the school, the Sangh also provides tuitions. The children live together as a family. Father Kakkaniyil said, “One of our students scored 88.6 per cent in Class X and another secured 78 per cent in Class XII. Some are pursuing BCom, technical education, computer courses, nursing and other streams. One of the HIV affected girls has passed her fashion designing course and has got a job. Another boy is now an account in a well-known brand in Phoenix Market City.” Helping Sarva Seva Sangh are organisations like Railway Protection Force, AFMC, YMCA, NAARI, SAARTHI and Women and Children Commissionerate.

The party destination to visit this weekend

The party destination to visit this weekend KUE Bar 4.0 at The Westin dons a new avataar... This weekend if you are looking for a place to chill and party with your friends, then hop into KUE Bar 4.0 at The Westin. The lounge bar offers you delectable finger food, drinks and music. The party destination has donned a new avatar with neon graphics on the wall, the state-of-art laser lights and a haze machine. What sets this joint apart is the look and feel of the lounge bar. It has been revamped completely and sports an international look. The 5000 sq ft spacious area has been segregated into sitting areas, bar and state-of art dance floor. It can accommodate a moving crowd of close to 800-900 people comfortably. To the left are sheer covered cabanas where low sitting arrangements have been made. Opposite is the Al fresco bar which is done up with black and crushed glass and LED lighting. The bottle of varied drinks line one side of the bar and has a special lighting effect. One of the major attractions is the seven new KUE Bar cocktails which are part of the new menu. The most thirst quenching are Lick 'n' Promise (Tequila, midori, pernod, peach, apricot, orange juice, lemon), Wet Dream (Vodka, baileys, malibu, burnt mint leaves, chocolate chips) and Quaker (Gin, campari, orange juice, red bull). Once you settle comfortably with your drinks your eyes will be drawn to the big screens put up on the both the walls of the lounge area. There pre-recorded music and fashion videos run along with the in-house music. The pulsating music is a mix of beats and tempos which has an essence of Latin and international mix of sounds. Or you can request DJ Aaron to play your favourite EDM, Dutch House or Bollywood number. No doubt the music is loud, but you can still have a conversation with your friends. The KUE bar menu has been enhanced and specially designed to give guests a delightful experience. The short but extensive menu serves only finger food available in vegetarian and non-vegetarian options. There is a live counter, for gourmet’s who would like to watch their food being cooked with apetising sauces. Available on the menu are karwari prawns, masala wedges, spicy chicken tostadas, masal potato wedges, falafel bites, enchiladas and so on. What decided to go for the potato wedges, murg ki chaat and enchilidas. The portions were large and cooked with the right amount of spices and herbs. The wait staffs quickly jotted down our requests and were back in a jiffy with our food. And there's dancing indoors or anywhere you want really. But the state-of-art dance is the place where you should be if you want to jive away with your friends on a Saturday night. The food and drinks are tad expensive. One has to shell out around Rs 2000 onwards depending on the special DJ or artist of the evening. Kue Bar also has theme nights like Wicked Wednesdays, Cosmo Fridays and Sassy Saturdays.

‘Skill-based learning is important’

“Today’s students have a clear sense of what they want. They have dreams and they try to realise their dreams regardless of what the world thinks of them. For this a need-based education system has to be introduced in schools,” said Sadhana Parasharji, head, Innovation and Research, CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education). She was speaking at an educational conference, ‘Education for Future, Educating the Future — Future Speaks’, at The Orchid School. She stressed that importance should be given to skill-based learning and the gap between the students and the teachers should be bridged. Other prominent speaker Ganesh Natarajan, CEO, Zensar said, “What sets today’s youngsters apart is their ability to get their message across. As parents and teachers we should give importance on the 3C’s — collobration, communication and cynicism. Opportunities are there and we have to grab it, cynicism should be completely isolated.” Lakshmi Kumar, director of Pradnya Niketan Education Society and The Orchid School, said, “As an educational institute we need to reflect upon our role in the society, the type of education we are imparting to the students and whether it is relevant in today’s world.”

Trump unveils housing project in Pune

“India is a great country. The market is positive and we are planning to invest more in the country. After the new government at the centre, things are looking up. The view of the country for outsiders is positive and there will be more investors in the near future,” said Donald Trump, Chairman and President of the Trump Organisation on his maiden visit to the city, for the launch of Trump Towers Pune, developed by Panchshil Realty. Speaking about the association with Panchshil Realty, 68-year-old Trump said, “A lot of research has gone before the Trump brand joined hands with Panchshil Realty. As a businessman I always look for long-term relationships which I have found in Panchshil Realty. We knew we were dealing with the best in the country and were fairly surprised by the quality of work. Atul Chordia, chairman, Panchshil Realty, is a man with a great vision and mission. He is passionate about his work which can be seen in the construction work he has done in the city and outside.” The deal between Trump and Panchshil Realty was signed on February 12, 2012. Trump Towers Pune at Kalyanigar features modern design, lavish amenities and quality service. It comprises two 23 storey buildings with 46 single-floor residences measuring 6,100 square ft each. In the initial phase, the price per square feet was Rs 17,000 which has gone upto Rs 22,000 per sq ft. The second tower will be launched in the second quarter of next year. Asked if he was planning to contest the US Presidential elections again, Trump said, “In the last elections, I contested against Obama. He won and he is doing great work. As for now I can only say that life is great and full of opportunities. You never know what will happen next. I love what I am doing- construction and I am happy with it.”