Pickled!

 

Today I patted myself for having come a long way indeed. From being that carefree girl in my 20s who didn't know how to cook and neither was interested in learning, to this awesome aunty in my 50s who is not only churning out three nutritious meals a day but also preparing perfect seasonal pickles or 'achaars' (right from gajar-shalgam to amla to red chillies). 

Wonder what my mum would say had she seen me in my present avatar. She always complained to her relatives that though I had a thriving corporate career, I just wouldn't learn cooking. So much so that when my then boyfriend (and now husband) came to ask for permission to marry me, she tried to dissuade him by saying what good would it be marrying a girl who couldn't cook!

But coming back to my achaars, I'm loving just how my little extra efforts have paid off well (thanks to a sunny winter). The family is enjoying each of my preparations and that gives me the encouragement to try these again next winter.

Chorchori Chronicles

Traditionally the Bengali staple mixed veg preparation called chorchori is supposed to have potatoes and spinach along with any three seasonal vegetables. As my mother taught me, there are five main players, hence the alternate name paanch-mishuli. So in winters, veggies like radish and cauliflower routinely make it to the chorchori mix, while in summers one finds bitter gourds, brinjals and pumpkins getting added.

Now here I was cooking chorchori in the rains, so the essential spinach was missing. It is anyway advisable not to consume these greens during monsoon as they spoil faster and host a few creepy crawlies. So I decided to try leaves from my moringa tree instead. Totally not kosher, as any Bengali mashima would tell you! 

Moringa tree in the backyard 

But while being experimental I discovered that the moringa leaves added an interesting nutty flavour to the chorchori. Also since they grow high above the ground unlike spinach, their leaves do not get spoilt by the rain. And, their health benefits are many. 

A closer view of our moringa forest

Moringa is a hardy tree, pretty resistant to the vagaries of the weather. Then why not give a modern twist to the traditional chorchori and enjoy it every season. If the spinach is unable to pull through our current climate change, an alternative is on hand already.

Magical Milestone

Today we completed five years of living in our current abode. Five years that passed rather quickly, I must admit! 

Much water has flown under the bridge since we came in.... and nowhere is the growth more apparent than in the way we have settled into a routine about everything, despite the frequent changes that we seem to face here. And of course, the growth can be seen in the children - from gangly teenagers loathe to changing schools in their higher classes, they gracefully dealt with a pandemic, a few losses, and a plethora of life lessons. And have now transformed into beautiful young adults who make us both happy and proud. But I digress...

Us in 2019

Today, on the auspicious occasion of the harvest festival Baisakhi, we had moved in five years back with dreams in our eyes and excitement in our hearts. Many of those dreams materialised, while some surprises were sprung at us too. But then, such is life - a mix of sweet and sour! 

Us in 2024

As we stepped out on the front porch today to enjoy the rainy afternoon, an amazing experience unfolded. A large bunch of rosy starlings chose to present their magical dance in the sky right before our eyes. 

Watching their mystical murmuration right over our heads seemed like a divine gift to mark our milestone in this abode. And perhaps a portent of things to come... But we all were so absorbed in watching the spectacle unfold that we didn't realise the camera wasn't recording. Such divine experiences are meant to be remembered only by the mind's eye!

Enjoying Fairs & Forts

 

No posts in the last two months all thanks to the hectic festive season during which both major festivals - Durga Puja and Diwali - were thoroughly enjoyed. Now with the festive frenzy of behind us, and the children keeping busy with college and exams, we as a couple are finally finding some time together again. 

In these last two months of the year, as the year winds down, it is time to enjoy some selective pleasures. So the anniversary was spent at a well-organized local fair.

Felt great to be out on a sunny day and feel the mela vibes after a long time. Then about a month later we finally visited the iconic Red Fort in Delhi. 

That turned out to be a great trip too as we packed in the art biennale on at the premises. We finished off the trip with a short walk down famous Chandni Chowk to savour some jalebi rabri and soak in the purani Dilli vibes.

Red Fort & Chandni Chowk 

Hope to repeat this with the next gen in tow soon.

Upholding Culinary Traditions

 

Growing up, my mother always made something special for the Republic Day holiday. Most often it would be the winter staple koraishutir kochuri (a fried flatbread with flavoured peas stuffing). This would be accompanied by aloor dom (a tangy preparation using boiled potatoes), a favourite in most Bengali households. 

This was a tradition that Ma carried forward from her growing-up years in Shimla. Back then Republic Day had even more significance since the previous generation had lived through the freedom struggle.

After she left, I kept craving the koraishutir kochuri through the winters but could not gather the confidence to try making them myself. The meal required some work, time and patience, and all were in short supply in the intervening years.

Finally this year, a whole seven years after she went away, my craving got the better of me, and I resolved to try making koraishutir kochuri. Making the peas stuffing is fairly easy. Filling up the dough balls with the right amount, and then rolling them out perfectly is the tough part. The first attempt went by better than expected and so, on Republic Day I finally prepared a second batch of my favourite meal of winters. Along with aloor dom, of course. And some halwa for dessert.

Thus upholding a much-loved culinary tradition started by my amazing mother. 😍 Needless to say, the family loved it. 

Summer Sunsets

 

One month and so many beauteous sunsets! 

01 June 2021

04 June 2021

Yes, since June is the month of the summer solstice and has the longest days, we witnessed some colourful sunsets from our backyard.

06 June 2021

07 June 2021

And random floating clouds only added to the charm of the summer sunsets.

13 June 2021

14 June 2021

As though someone was spilling colour on the celestial canvas from up there.

24 June 2021

26 June 2021

As lockdown fatigue got very real, these little joys brought in some bright sparks.

26 June 2021

27 June 2021

Can't wait for the pandemic to blow over soon, and at least some degree of normalcy to resume so one can at least step out at will. 

29 June 2021

In this month of glorious sunsets, I'm wishing for a new sunrise!

Struggling For The Basics

 

Every coin has two sides. All this while we mostly came up heads. But the last couple of months have only thrown up tails. 

When we bought the house, the colony was in the middle of a changeover - from the hands of a struggling private company to the established government agency. Everyone was happy at the change and looking forward to better times. But good times vanished even before they could get here!

Let me list down the trouble areas for better understanding:

Roads

Were in extremely bad shape, with potholes so large that many neighbours admitted to substantial damage to their cars. 

Though repairs, carpeting and even recarpeting were carried out, they created newer issues. Manhole areas were left undone, leaving deep yawning holes where many tripped and hurt themselves. And the smoother roads led to over-speeding.

Water Supply

Was fairly regular but water quality was not good as it was muddy. Tanks and filters required regular cleaning.

Supply frequency reduced considerably, water pressure became an issue and the quality further worsened. There were days of no-show, as a result the overhead tanks became near-empty many times. The accumulated slush at the bottom of the tank got into pipelines and the filter, choking the entire system. 

Electricity

Was always a problem in this colony. Ten years back we suffered; our inverter and other appliances went kaput. 

Nothing has changed; rather the situation has gotten worse. After going through a 10-hour outage from 4PM to 2AM we thought we had seen it all. But the worst was an 18-hour outage that lasted from 11PM to 5PM of the next evening. After that they claimed to have changed transformers, cables and suppliers. But the power interruptions continued on a daily basis.

Sewage

The entire city is together on this one. The millenial city has no sewage disposal lines, and whatever is there for namesake does not work.

Waterlogging for days during heavy rains, with water even entering houses seems to be the norm here. Vehicles start malfunctioning as they are parked in water for days and their parts get rusted. There is backflow into the houses from the sewer, with slush and cockroaches getting deposited in our yards.

Garbage Collection

Has been a problem area off and on. 

Contractors were changed but that did not seem to help as garbage was not collected for days on end. And yet, they were prompt in collecting payments. Rainy days are again no-garbage-pick days.

All in all, the ground realities have been exposed within 1.5 years. Now only time and tide will tell what the future holds...

The Migration

Witnessed this bi-annual migration yesterday from my living room. These nomads, probably native to Rajasthan, can be seen moving from one location to another once during the onset of summers, and again when the winters start.

Their belongings aren't many.... both the children and their cots fit in very well on the donkey's back. But you have to see the number of sheep that they take around with themselves! What the picture shows is just nothing. They had a huge herd that seemed to go on and on. Certainly not a sight that you can hope to see in a big city!

Meanwhile we are also contemplating a migration. Sometimes the time comes when you just have to let go, and go with the flow instead. So while there aren't any decisions yet, the thought is definitely in our heads. Let us see what Time makes of it....

Housescapes

We just completed a whole year of living in this house so guess can't call it new anymore! :)

As the months went by, the seasons changed, the garden changed, and the house itself went through its own quiet metamorphosis.

Here is a pictorial journey to celebrate the year gone by through some of my favourite shots in the house.

Of cool, dreamy mornings...

Ending in fiery, brilliant evenings...

Our children enjoying in their splash pool in the summers.

My jade plant against the blue monsoon sky with wisps of clouds gently floating.

The Buddha bathed in the orange glow of the setting sun adds to the charm of an autumn evening.

Interesting shadows thrown up by the sharp winter sun.

Finally, precious spring blossoms bringing the year full circle!

Hope you enjoyed our journey through the year as much as we did! And looking forward to many more such years...

Framed!

We finally got a couple of my paintings framed and hung around the house last weekend.

I'm happy with the colour they add to our dining area.

It sure feels good to see them like that, adorning our walls! :)

We are also getting ready for a short getaway to Jodhpur, and am bang in the middle of packing up for the trip. So the house resembles a 'dhobi ghat' (traditional Indian laundry) with clothes strewn all over. This will be our first outstation trip after moving into this house. So there, another first in place!

Hope to bring back some interesting things to share with you from our trip.

My Wishlist

First month of the year and I am already dreaming of a wishlist for the house! Talk of material afflictions (LOL).... Well, the list mainly comprises of things that have caught my fancy over the years.

Things I have seen displayed elsewhere and wanted in my own space. Things that remind me of special memories and connections. Things I have admired for their beauty and craftsmanship. Sometimes even things that do not necessarily fit in but yet there is this deep craving to acquire (I'm sure the women will understand this one better!).

So, here is my wishlist for our home, in no particular order:

A beautifully carved, wooden jharokha for the living room

Image from unnamed source on the internet

Large statues in granite and sandstone for the garden

Image from Lotus Sculpture website

An arbor of plants in my terrace

Image clicked by camera phone from a magazine I was browsing in a bookstore

A porch swing in one of the sit-outs

Image from now-defunct blog Delightful Home

A rocking chair in my bedroom

Image from unnamed source on the internet

Phew! Does it ever end??? I should stop now and return from my flights of fancy. After all, we don't want the home looking overdone! ;)

Hibernating....

Now that winters are here, hibernating seems like a good excuse for my long absences from this blog! :)




Did I tell you I absolutely dislike winters? Those foggy grey days give me a serious case of SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder, for the uninitiated) every year. I am the sunshiny types who'd rather get a sunburn than sit and shiver in a corner all day. So I spend the maximum time outside on the sit-outs munching peanuts and crackers, and the rest of my indoor time is taken up by painting.



I hope to get a little active around X-mas cause that is such a favourite festival with the kids. In the meanwhile, here's praying for sunny, cheerful days ahead instead of depressive, smoggy ones... at least one can catch a picnic then! :)

Scenes From Our Rural Backyard

We have a patch of farmland right behind our house, and so are able to view glimpses of rural life all day long. It feels so surreal that despite being so close, the life led by the farmer and his family is so completely different from ours... they are, literally, worlds apart.

The farmer and his family is up before the crack of dawn, tending to their cows and milking them.

Then the fellow waters his lush fields. My maid, who is a village lass herself, tells me that his crop is nothing fancy; just plain cattle feed. But as long as it keeps our backyard green, I'm not complaining.

As the day progresses, the children leave for school and the farmer and his wife go inside their thatched hut. In the evening, a bunch of women descend to cut the fodder.

First from the field using scythes, and then further chopping is done in the machine.

And of course, how can I forget the cowdung cakes? :) There are loads and piles of them, all over the place.

As my maid grumbled one morning, the farmer's wife sells them to the nearby village folk at a steep price. These cakes are used as fuel for traditional Indian choolahs (a mud stove that uses firewood) in rural areas.

Now you know how easy it is to while away time in our new home... by transporting yourself to another world altogether and virtually getting lost in it!

But at the end of the day, our shameless voyeurism only brings home the reality - that our world runs smoothly only because they do their bit in their own world. Can you imagine a world without crops and milk?

Back From A Time-Out

My blog posts have been infrequent of late since I was enjoying some time-out with the hubby. My dearest was on leave from work so I decided to take a break from blogging. Not that blogging equals work for me, it is more of a stress reliever! :) Pity that we couldn't fit in a vacation though as the kids have been going to school.

But hubby and I got to spend some quality time together in the new home. A quiet hour in the morning in the front sit-out, with a steaming cup of tea and the newspaper for company, some walks around the neighbourhood, enjoying the rain together.... we caught up with such small luxuries that we had been missing given our crazily hectic schedules.

Got quite a few pending house chores done with as well, and that is such a relief! I also took some time out to potter in my fledgling terrace garden, and resume my painting.

Hopefully the blog posts shall flow again soon!

Know Your Style Persona?

Just took this fun quiz here to check out my style personality. Got a blooper the first time round but my second attempt gave better results. So this is who I am...

Pretty close actually! ....Why else would I have a whole blog for my home! :)

Go on, have some fun yourself...