Friday 31 May 2013

to kill the smoke ---fan the fire

During my times ,apart from being tall and dark brown ( Indians only ) a man to be considered handsome had to wear a poloneck sweater or a cardigan patterned straight out of a PATONS & BEEHIVE  knitting guide  and   a cigarette dangling from his lips .used to be an added asset .

 The men in my family did not want to be exceptions to this rule .

Both my brother and my husband  were  chain smokers WHO gave up the habit as and when required .

My brother  discarded when  the doctor told him that if he wanted to live ,the smoking habit should die.

My husband sent the WILLS filter packet flying  out of the window  when some warm ash from his cigarette accidentally fell on his darling daughters dainty little arms .

Both these incidents told me that a habit as addictive as smoking can be discarded in one go when the fire to do so comes from within .No amount of statutary warnings or nagging wives can achieve this .

                           *******

Some tactics men used to give up this deadly habit ----

some people used to break their cigs in half and smoke them one at a time making one become two ---little did they know half or full they were all dangerous---probably the term PASSIVE SMOKING was not coined that time

then we had a doctor sahab who used to roll out his own cigarette when he wanted to smoke ---he would take out a pouch with tobacco in it  and some special kind of  paper then manufacture his own cig
he said he would gradually come over the habit because of the tediousness---but he didnt know that bad habits dont worry about the hard ;work people can go to any extremes .

then came the filter tipped ones ---supposed to be safer but --equally deadly .
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And with the anti-smoking movement  not popular  as today ;I do remember some nice perks which used to come our way when the men were smokers .

the cigarette tins (cans) were such lovely substitutes for measuring cups nearly every atta .daal.chaval.container had one inside it .

the same tins helped kids make the best toy telephones.

they were used for jam tin races

these tins were excellent for germinating seeds ( now adays we use polythene packets which are so harmful to the environment )

Gifts were so easy to select ---you gifted a fancy cigarette case on mens-birthdays .
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And just one more thing I always wonder ---why dont we go about so vociforously and ferrociously with campaigns to ban corruption and other social ills ----.We criticize our filmstars  and our movie directors for putting up scenes showing smoking on the screen because we think the common man or our youngsters will copy them ,emulate them ---are  our youngsters so naive so immature!!!???? I am sure they know what is right and what is wrong.

If movies could mould society we would never have any corruption or crime in society ,because  all our movies portray the triumph of good over evil .

Its the thought process which needs to be changed ---not movies --.

Moreover films , they say portray society.

History and sociology gather knowledge about days of yore from  movies, folk lore  and literature .

Any ways this is besides the point.

the crux of the matter is " to  put out the smoke we must fan the fire of our conscience ."


                              *******
a real life incident---- a joke from one of my earlier posts .

When Nagpur got its first outlet for pizzas--- SMOKIN' JOE'S.

People who were under heavy mental pressure with Ramdos's ban on smoking ---rushed to this place thinking it to be SMOKING ZONE
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Tuesday 28 May 2013

An "ALL MOTHERS" party

My hubby  away on an official tour to a land across the seas ( U.K.)  my mom is staying with me not so much to give me company than  to pamper herself and   me with a holiday,.
The two of us get along very well ,much like friends. My m-i-l also, when she heard that my mom is staying with me decided to join us.

  Hahaha !!!.....no ...no...no not to keep an  eye on the two of us but because ----surprise surprise !! ---she and my mother (both  went to the same college but in different streams )get along very well. astonished aren't you!!
 But then  this world is a strange place hahaha.

One day these two ladies met a common friend on the steps of the"" Telangkhedi"" temple here ---now all those who know Nagpur  know that this particular temple is both literally and metaphorically ""a temple"" anyone who comes to the city  must visit this place---and these two ladies are no exceptions. They may not have visited a temple in all their youth BUT now they must ,just to keep the city's tradition alive. .Anyways that evening saw both the ladies approach me with the idea that we have a weekend party and invite this friend of theirs ---I said O.K. so mama dear rang up Uma aunty with the invitation Uma aunty said that there were 4 more college  friends available and could we invite them too ? Both  my mata( mother)  and my  mataji( mother-in-law)  didn't bat an eyelid and said" YES"

So I have to arrange a dinner for 7 ladies all in their late  5o's  full of the pep of life .and bubbling with energy . Since they were all school and college friends I knew they would be gossiping and chatting one to a dozen.

Ok then with the invitations sent and accepted I set about preparing for  the party.

The venue -- MY HOUSE

The ambiance --" NOSTALGIA"

 So it would be  white lily in flower vases and old hindi songs playing in the background .with the fragrance of MANGALDEEP AGGARBATTIS.spreading all around,



But I had a problem:(

With  most of the shops  closed due to the agitation against L.B.T(Local Body Tax) between the govt and the traders it would be  difficult to get any ingredients needed for a party .My brother has come  to my rescue he has  sent me carton loads of   "KITCHENS OF INDIA"   products .A connoisseur of good food .He is a person who loves to live and relishes all the good things in life so naturally  he keeps a stock of all I.T.C products( including :cigarettes and matches and the latest in his cartons are the classmate notebooks),The kids love to go to his place he treats them with all sorts of goodies and whenever he comes visiting he brings sunfeast biscuits

and

candyman chocolates
 https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ50V4kPoqRcPnO6EsGGm1ZI2rS42R1Zpu0p0YS7rsmeB3eRD_c_A
Both ITC products.

I am grateful to my brother  for this help all that I have to do now is choose from the various packets.I have already tasted them before in most of the get togethers held at his place --so its not at all difficult ..

For starters I will have  fresh lime and  BINGO potato chips nothing else because the ladies complain that they eat too much as starters and then can't eat anything in the main course so the starters should be light snacks


Now the main course----and its all stacked inside K.O.I packets waiting for me to  heat them and serve

CHICKEN CHETTINAD--- from The DAKSHIN RANGE it has  succulent chunks of tender chicken in dark, spicy paste of curry leaves. Spiced up with pepper.

MUGHLAI PANEER-----  cubes of tender paneer prepared in delicate gravy of cashew nuts, seasoned with green cardamom.  with khoya, tomato paste, onion paste, garlic, ginger and other spices and condiments. and belongs to the traditional DUM COOKING style .

MIRCH KA SALAN------ -An extravagant delicacy made from succulent green chillies, delicately cooked in thick gravy of roasted peanuts, almonds and sesame seeds.

DAL BUKHARA------ Whole Black lentils in tomato gravy are simmered with  spices, dose of cream and white butter. From the exotic open air cooking practices of the caravans moving along the Great Silk Route to the modernised seasoning, the authentic flavours are retained to perfection.

And How can a all woman's party be without some  tangy tongue ticklers ---so I will have .....

SHREDDED MANGO CHUTNEY---- -Finely shredded raw mango, in a thick delicious syrup makes for a delicious accompaniment to any meal.

 TOMATO CHILLI CHUTNEY ---slices of tomato with garlic and green chilli, the Tomato Chilli Chutney  will add fire to the fiery gossips ..

 Now please don't think I am a lousy housewife who does not keep even essentials like rice, dal, atta at home...... I do..... I do .

So I plan to make BIRYANI ,using.....

 HYDERABADI BIRYANI MASALA–  a royal combination of saffron, spices and condiments it almost always  re-creates the masterpiece from the Nizam’s kitchens. .All I need to do is add Basmati Rice, tender chunks of chicken, a little bit of curd, water, a dash of oil and cook.---that much for hot piping HOME MADE  Biryani --LOL

I will also serve  HOME MADE roti made of multigrained AASHIRVAAD ATTA   which is the atta used by me regularly.It has added vitamins and proteins and fibre and is healthier than normal wheat flour.This atta provides nourishment for people of all ages and is an integrated mix of six different grains – wheat, soya, channa, oat, maize & psyllium husk .


And now for the desert .Nothing else but.....

JODHPURI MOONG DAL HALWA ..... Made From Moong Dal Simmered In Ghee, Khoya And Cooked With Almonds And Saffron. With A Generous Mix Of Dry Fruits,



Because all these ladies have 32 sweet teeth or tooths each.Kitchens Of India Jodhpuri Moong Dal Halwa Ready To Cook Meal 250 g






AS the dinner gets over I will serve Paan and also Mint-o





image of Mint-O image of Mint-O

and then as the party will get over and the guests will begin to say goodbye my mother and mother- in- law will both hand over a packet of MANGAL DEEP AGARBATTIS  to each of their friends as a token to spread the fragrance of their friendship and a packet each of HAZOORI PETHA HALWA to remember the sweet time  they shared that night at my place.

I know that my mom and mom - in- law will appreciate this gesture of mine.

I want to make both these ladies, (one who gave me birth and the other who gave birth to the man I love), happy in any and every way  that I can. I want to pamper them as much as I can .




 I give below a picture of all the packets and jars that I plan to open and use for the party this saturday .



      

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this is my entry for the "my weekend party with gourmet food" contest by indiblogger and Kitchens of India.