Men can cook and SHOULD...! And a contest... share a story to win!

Ever since I announced my beginners cooking classes for men, I am being asked but why cooking classes for Men?

Well imagine waking up to this for breakfast...

...or this...

Or a suprise birthday cake....

Cooking together to make healthy treats for happy babies...

waking up to freshly baked bread

collaborating to cook up feasts for friends and family

 

Having a man that cooks is definitely an advantage, as you can see above.

Somewhere last year, thanks to Masterchef Australia, my husband began to cook. He had always been fascinated by bread making and experimented off and on, but now he bakes bread, cakes, cookies, muffins, pizza bases. He also makes pancakes and has pretty much taken over tiffing making and breakfast for the kids.

And no, I claim no credit whatsoever for this beyond perhaps my obsession with food rubbing off on him. In fact I think I was quite condescending in the early days. I can get a bit snippy when pressed with too many basic questions. But I have come to admire him for his persistence and patience. We still have our issues, like I still can’t understand why he won’t look at a recipes (but then its the same on the road, they will get lost but not ask for directions...)

Men were kept out of the kitchen in my fathers time. I remember the rare occasions when my dad cooked, they were such special times because we saw a different father to the authoritarian we knew. But having Shekhar divvy up kitchen chores, today, is quite frankly a boon. I love it when we work together to make something. And through his experiences, I have come to appreciate many things I had grown jaded about. The world is changing around us, relationship dynamics are changing. Women are matching men step for step in every field. Nut its vice versa as well, my father and older brothers never even knew how to hold babies, but fathers today match women in child rearing step for step. So why not in the kitchen too?

Previous generations might have done things differently but today, as women, we need to realise we are doing our men a disservice by keeping them out of the kitchen. Because empowering men with cooking skills will equip them to look after their health so much better. Cooking means one clues into what one is eating, but it also means that men need not rely on unhealthy options when they have to fend for themselves. And perhaps this will also mean they will make healthier choices with food in the long run. Of course men who cook also make great partners and fathers!


And so I decided to do a mens cooking class, to teach guys a few basic recipes that will result in easy healthy meals that can be snazzed up for their women and simplified for their children but mostly will help them eat a little healthier and look after themselves better! 

“Men Can COOK !”Contest

So here is a contest. Share a story about a meal you've eaten that has been cooked by a guy in your life (who is not a chef or professional), good, bad, funny sad, in the comments section of this post by 10^th Sept. The winning entry will win a 50% discount to my beginners cooking class for men on the 18^th of September, which can be redeemed by guys or gifted to the man in their lives by women! (Coupon is usable in Mumbai only of course...) So get writing and spread the word!

Info on class 
The class will teach a selection of delicious dishes to mix and match into balanced meals for everyday cooking or snazzy fancy dinners to impress friends, family or other halves. On the menu are - Potatoes 2 ways: Aromatic Parsley potatoes, Spicy Sausage Potato fry, Chicken 2 ways – Pan fried with exotic spices, Pan fried with Creamy wine sauce, Pasta 2 ways – Pasta Alio olio e Pepperoncino, Smoky Chorizo cheese sauce, Basic dressed Salad and Garlicky Buttered vegetables to round off plates. The class costs 2500 per head, there are 10 openings and is scheduled for Date Sunday 18 August, Time – 2-6, Le 15 central Kitchen, lower Parel. To enrol e-mail le15classes@gmail.com or call 9769286544. FOR MORE INFO ON CLASSES

The lingering aroma... of Cinnamon Stays a B&B in Gurgaon

 

True Cinnamon

What comes to your mind when I say Cinnamon? 

Sweetly pungent, the aroma of cinnamon is unmistakable, a culinary legerdemain that draws out the sweetness of not just apples but all sorts of fruit and vegetables, converting them to ambrosia. Spicing everything from Mexican moles to Moroccan tagines and Indian curries it tempers the richness of nuts and seeds and transforms ordinary dishes to sensuousness.

I associate Cinnamon with happy things, messy baby meals of cinnamon scented applesauce that got onto every part of my babies except into their tummies! Slow mornings of Cinnamon sugared doughnuts washed down with aromatic coffee and that bowl of nutty oatmeal comfort fragrant with Cinnamon that I start my days with.

As of four days ago Cinnamon Stays will top that list.

Untill this trip, I disliked travelling to Delhi, which was painfull when one considered that one had to do it almost monthly. Not because I do not like the city itself, I actually love it, but it’s a tough city for independent women travelers especially when it comes to accomodation. Initially I stayed at hotels, but found that they do not offer facilities like room service. And coming in late at night, I didn’t fancy dining in their restaurants alone. And I never ever slept well because I never really felt completely safe. Not to mention that the guilt of leaving kids often caught up on me at days end when there was no work to keep it at bay. Subsequently I stayed with friends and family a lot and enjoyed it but hated messing up their daily routine.

So when my friend Shilpa Sharma of Breakaway – a really promising new holiday company that’s launched recently suggested a B&B property in Gurgaon that was ideal for women travelers, I thought, Why not?

According to their website Cinnamon Stays is a boutique bed & breakfast tucked away amongst a colony of red-brick villas just off the bustling Sohna road in Sec 48 of Gurgaon. This little bed & breakfast spread over two villas with a total of 8 rooms to let out, they offer well maintained rooms, personalised service, simple home-made food and WIFI. It sounded great so I booked.

The day I arrived into Delhi was quite long. I was upset having left my daughter, Natasha, who had a cold and had been on the brink of tears ever since. The airline lost my bag and I had to wait 2 hours at the airport for it. Thanks to that I didn’t get enough time to prepare myself for my first cooking demonstration and the preperations for it were not complete so we were delayed by 20 minutes. I detest delays. So by the time I left Delhi and headed towards Cinnamon Stays and Gurgaon I was homesick and heartsick.   

I arrived to find Manish Sinha waiting outside for me. He had been guidine us to the place via smses. A warm light beckoned me in from behind him. I walked into a warm and cosy home space. An open kitchen spilled into the dining room, where Manish’s wife Shilpi was bustling around and Mohommed a guest from Kazakistan sat working at the Dining table. Within minutes Shilpi had me cosily ensconced on the sofa with a big cup of coffee warming my hands… and my heart.

I did not feel awkward for even a moment, I felt right at home. I was introduced to the Sinha’s son, who was playing a video game and had a moment to look around as they got the dinner organized. The sitting room was a cheerful room of organized clutter all around, bright colors, piles of books, beautiful paintings, artifacts and pop art that grabbed attention made by the Jugaad studio.

Yep that had me intrigued too. It turned out that Manish had a little side business going in the Jugaad studio - an idea, design, concept and merchandising studio in which he and some partnering artists played with popular culture - Bollywood, cricket, the arts and music on any surface they got their hands on, shoes, helmets, lamps, bottles, canvas and even the walls and doors when Shilpi is not looking!

Shilpi and Manish are from the HR and media world and Cinnamon is their maiden adventure into hospitality. Shilpi is a very hands on mother juggling a career as a life coach with her own company Purple Tree trying to make a difference in people’s lives. Manish is dreamer, an advertising planner, closet copy writer and social media enthusiast with a yen to build a business around jugaad concepts and conversations. 8 year old Neo, their son is a gadget guru and foodie with a thousand questions! The cast at Cinnamon also includes, Suri, the manager who wants to be a pilot, Yogi the cook who wants to drive fast cars and Rashmi the wonder woman and crisis manager from Mangalore who is efficiency personified.

By the time I assimilated all of this information, dinner was ready. A special meal Shilpi had cooked in my honour. I was so touched as I sat down to the meal with Manish and little Neo as Shilpi bustled from kitchen to table, making fresh Sattu Parathas. Yes, that was the other high point of my stay there, I got to taste Bihari food. Because it is not glamorous, Bihari food is little know outside the state. Which is sad because this hearty trencherman’s food, simply made and filling is not only delicious, but also extremely nutritious.

I loved the Sattu Parathas. Sattu is a very versatile ingredients in Bihari food. Essentially a grainy flour made of roasted, skinned gram that is pounded it is a dish in itself when mixed with milk and salt or sugar but it also makes the base of many quick fix recipes. As a paratha stuffing like it was being served today or to make Litti, another staple bread eaten by the Biharis. That night along with the Sattu parathas we had a simple Aloo Saag (spicy gravied potato dish) Khatt Mithth (a tomato chutney) Baigan Bharta and assorted pickles and chutneys. It was a comforting meal followed by ice cream and by the time we were done, I found I had unwound and the stresses of the day were gone!

Dinner was pleasant, and little Neo grilling me about food, made me miss my kids less. Once we were done, and I had promised Neo we would cook together the next day, Shilpi showed me to my room. The Green room (there are also the Puraani Jeans room, the Grand room and the Doodle toom). But I fell in love with mine completely. A cosy little space, all done in green, with a hankerchief lawn out of the other door, the piece de resistance was the central wall painted with a tree on which a gilded cage hung open as birds flew away free. A little green stuffie welcomed me in and kept me company under the lovely tree.

I slept beautifully safe that night and woke up to a lovely breakfast the next morning, with the sunshine pouring onto the dining table. I started with a great cup of filter coffee (the coffee at Cinnamon is consistently fab) followed by the full complement of juice, fruit, cereal, poha, cold cuts, toast, and eggs cooked to order, much of the food locally sourced like the Bhuira Jams from Himachal.

That afternoon, Neo and his parents attended my Mexican cooking demonstration at the new Nature’s Basket store at Gurgaon, and I made him a special Quesadilla to order (for which Sir New conferred me with the compliment of Hot and Spicy aunty – hes going to be a ldy killer that one!) We shopped for ingredients and that night he and I cooked a candle light dinner for his parents; Pasta Alio Olio scattered with Parmiggiano Reggiano and Fruit tarts filled with Strawberry Cream Cheese and Dragon fruit and red grapes mascerated in lime and honey.

Just like the spice, my stay at Cinnamon stays was a heartwarming, uplifting experience, a home-away-from-home, populated by what became a surrogate family, filled with varied conversations, and inspiring stories of fellow guests, creative chaos and SO SO much inspiration...

Shilpi’s Sattu parathas

For filling

1 bowl of Sattu

2-3 tbl spoon mustard oil

3-4 finely chopped green chillies

1/4^th bowl finely chopped garlic

1/4^th bowl finely chopped onion

2- 3 tbsp lemon juice

Salt to taste

Ajwain optional

Prepared Dough for Chapattis.

Method

Put Sattu in a bowl and combine with all the other ingredients except chapatti dough. Stuff the resultant filling in the dough and roll out parathas. Griddle roast them with pure ghee or vegetable and serve hot. 

Shilpi’s Tamatar ka Khatta Meetha Chatni

5- 6 ripe tomatoes

2 red chillies

I tejpatta (Bay Leaf)

1 tsp cumin seed

1 tbsp mustard oil

50-60 g Jaggery

Sugar- 1 tbsp

Salt

Heat the mustard oil to smoking point and add the chillies, Bay leaf and cumin seed. When Cumin splutters and the spices are aromatic (30 seconds) add the tomatoes. Allow to cook for around 5- 7 mins untill soft. Add jaggery, sugar and salt. Pressure cook for 1 whistle. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve.

Jugaad shoes

Beautiful paintings.

Organised Chaos!

Jugaad studios

Cute foodie corner!

Home cooked Dinner!

My Green room - haven of R&R

A warm welcome!

Breakfast!

At the demo!

Chef Neo stirs in the honey!

This is how you cook Pasta.

Chef Neo AKA Mister Shifu!

The Chef approves!

Chef Neo's Pasta Alio Olio with Parmiggiano Reggiano

and fruit tart, filled with Strawberry cheese and fruit mascerated in lime juice and honey..

The Grand room with its ornate four poster bed and luxurious touch of decadence.

The Purani jeans room where you can reconnect with your younger self!

GYAN and Links

Breakaway - http://www.break-away.in  and   www.facebook.com/breakaway.in

Cinnamon Stays Gurgaon, www.cinnamonstays.in, On facebook -http://www.facebook.com/CinnamonStays and Tripadvisor - http://bit.ly/gP02r5 OR email to cinnamonstays@gmail.com for bookings and queries! Jugaad Studios make hand painted Juboks – their signature our hand-painted customised canvas shoes, Thematic Tees, Quirky accessories, Logos and more including getting your walls  painted!

Email	jugaadstudio@gmail.com,
Phone	9650400466

Shooting pictures for my book - Memorable moments

That perfect moment!

My HT Column this month was inspired by Zindagi Milegi Na Dobara. In it I said that everyone has a retirement plan, including me. But losing someone I loved last year taught me that there are no guarantees. There are no guarantees that our retirement plan will synchronize with fate’s designs for us. So in line with the thoughts of that column I want to share with you another life’s experience. If you have a recipe of your moms you have always meant to write down or a dish your grandmother cooks that you have wanted to learn, do it, NOW, don’t push it off to another day.

My words came home to me a few days later while I was shooting the pictures for my book. My Mumbai Cookbook is a memoir though which I explore the cook I am today. It travels through my culinary journey from childhood to today. Writing a book, especially the kind of book I am writing is a journey. And like all journeys, each step you take, changes you. You break into guffaws at 4 in the morning when you write a funny line, you melt into tears in the middle of the day when a sad memory leaves translates into words on your screen. By the time you are done, you feel like you have given birth and in a way you have because writing a book is just like having a baby only more drawn out.  

I thought I was done with the emotional upheavals of the journey when I completed the writing of the manuscript. I was wrong. Last week I had the most memorable two moments of my book writing journey.

On the first day of shooting, I shot for the chapter on my Nani. We loved going to Nani's house as children. "Nanis" (maternal grandmothers) are an institution in India. In part I think this has to do with the fact that we live with our "Dadi" (paternal grandmothers) whereas we go on short visits to our Nani. Visits usually filled with indulgence, love and very little disciplining, (unless we did something really bad!). It was no different for me where my Nani was concerned. My Nani is also a phenomenal cook who taught herself modern ‘English’ cooking and I feel that I inherited my sense of culinary adventure from her. Today, when I taste a dish and figure out what has gone into it just by tasting it and then recreate it from instinct I have her to thank for it.

She has also been terrible ill off late and the day of the shoot would be trying for her. So I had planned to have her teach me how to make a signature recipe of she learnt from her mother. Teliya Bataka. This is kind of an instant pickle in which mustard is rubbed with water until it is frothy and smelling pungent. Cooked potatoes are then added to the mix along with oil, turmeric and salt. A simple recipe but as Nani guided my hands, with her fragile but strong grip, my mother sitting on the other side, a sudden silence seemed to decend on the room and the light seemed to change. All of a sudden, Mrigank, started clicking away furiously, mumbling yes, yes, perfect! A minute or so later he was done and I got the most perfect shots with my grandmother ever! I will never forget the feeling of Nani’s hand on mine, her instructions in my ear, the grainy wet mustard against my fingers, the cold steel of the plate and the pungent smell rising to my nose.

My mother always said that I should do my best and leave the rest to God. It is advice I have followed diligently in every task I have undertaken. I do think God was looking down on us in that moment...

The other memorable moment took place on the last day of the shoot, we were shooting the last shot of the day. A Spinach soup that was my fathers favourite dish made by me. It was one of the things I used to make in my early days of cooking exploration. His last words to me before he died were about how much he loved that soup. I had made it once when I was stuck writing the chapter on him. But I could not bring myself to serve it up and used it to make Palak Paneer instead.

The day of the shoot I remember pushing it to the end of the shoot anticipating it would be the HARDEST to shot to style, after all it is nothing but a bowl of dark green liquid. But it wasn’t! In seconds Mrigank had the angle and light he wanted and called me to garnish it. And the cream slid off the spoon and onto the bowl in so perfect a swirl I had to tease it with a toothpick to make it look natural. As I placed slivers of onion on with a tweezer as a final touch, my hand didn’t shake for even a second. My sister Neha and I have talked about how we have felt Papa’s presence around us sometimes. And that day I knew my father was with me in that room, guiding me at that moment.

That night after 15 years of being together my husband and son tasted that Spinach soup my father loved for the first time. And they loved it. My husband and father met just once before he died but that day I could envision Dad at the table with us sipping that soup alongside his son-in-law and grandson.

I have a dedications page in my book. But there are a few people I need to thank just now for helping me along on this journey. My family, of course, for putting aside their lives to write down recipes and pose for my shoots. And Pinky Chandan Dixit of Soam who has always stood behind me with her full support in every endeavour.

But most importantly, at this moment I would like to thank Mrigank Sharma who came into my life as a food photographer and stayed to become one of my closest friends. I know that he will hate me for this but, Mrigank, Thank you, for giving me this week from your life to translate my ideas into visuals so beautifully, and the idlis and samosas and for shaving on the last day so I could get that behind the scenes picture of you! You are a special person and I am glad we are friends! 

To the rest of you reading this blog. Grab the present with both hands. Do those things you always mean to do but end up putting off for later. Life won't give us another chance. Cook that dish, document those recipes, keep those promises to yourslef and those you love!

Nani’s Teliya Bataka

What is especially beloved about this recipe is that my Nani learned it from her mother, who loved to make instant pickles. Guests would be served an array of instant pickles including a raw Okra one.

Ingredients:

500 g Potatoes - cooked, peeled and cut into chunks

3 tbsp / 45g oil

2 tbsp/30g Split mustard seeds, powdered

½ tsp / 2g Asafoetida

½ tsp/ 2g Turmeric powder

8 tbsp/200ml water

Salt to taste

Method:

In a flat plate or wide bowl, combine water, oil and powdered mustard. Using your hands, rub it well against the plate until frothy and your hands are tingly. Add the Asafoetida and turmeric to the mix and stir well. Add potatoes and mix thoroughly. Allow to sit for one hour before serving cold or at room temperature.

The Teliya Bataka (Mustard Potatoes)

Shooting Nani's Chundo

Nanis Faraali Khandvi for fasting days made with buttermilk and arrarot.

Papa's Spinach soup

That perfect swirl!

All set!

Mrigank doing what he does best!

GYAAN and links


The first of my columns "SPICE ROUTE" in Hindustan Times. It will appear on the first Sunday of every month. Please do read. http://fb.me/1b95m0AjQ 

Mrigank Sharma's website www.indiasutra.com