Monday, December 14, 2009

Zhunka bhaakar

This weekend, the family braved the Delhi-Gurgaon traffic to visit Dilli haat after a long time. I was keen to check out the week long Crafts fair, and reckoned it would be a nice day out for the kids as well. Little did I know!

DH started grumbling midway about the traffic and the commute and about the 'non-neccessity' of driving to Delhi for anything. And when we saw half of Delhi parked outside the Dilli haat and the other half jostling for parking space, a 'high' truck stuck in front of a low gate with cars bumper to bumper behind it and no way to go forward, it didn't seem like a good idea for a 'nice day out' anymore...

Of course the no. of cars was only an indication of the crowd to be expected inside. The haat grounds seemed bursting at the seams with people, stalls and stuff. So, it was nothing less than a miracle that we found a table near the Maharashtrian food plaza( it was unanimously agreed to fuel in first before tackling the crafts stalls).

Between the 5 of us adults, Manoj's cousin Charu also joined us for the weekend, we ordered a variety of items - vada paav, misal paav, shreekhand poorie, paav bhaji, sabudana vada, pooran poli and Zhunka bhakar (my choice), and let me tell you each one of them was good. Especially the Zhunka bhaakar. I thoroughly enjoyed the platter - the zhunka which is roasted chick pea floor with a tadka, raita, bajra rotis, the baigan sabzi and the spicy gunpowder and mint chutneys. And the pooran polis! the sweet chapatis were so yum... melt-in-the-mouth soft with jaggery inside, Renee and Robin relished them and so did we ;-) So much so that a second round of this sweet bread was ordered. The sabudana vadas were crisp on the edges and soft with potatoes in the centre. Though I didn't try the various paav combinations, I'm told they were also equally good. And so was the Shrikhand Aloo sabzi and Poorie platter. All in All, a very satisfying meal. One that saved the trip from being written off and one that I'd go for again. ( oh by the way, we did get some rustic wooden toys and woollen shoes for the kids, and a nice durrie in muted green and blue for the study)

Hmm, it occurs to me that I can have Zhunka on a 'besan day', adding more veggies to it than just a spartan tadka of mustard seeds and red chillies. Wot say? Any ideas?

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Too much Cake...

Ever given a thought to where and how would you like to die, if given a choice? I have. (just now)

On the dining table, after I've finished a self-made cake. Yes, not just a slice of it, but the majority of it. DEMOLISHED...single handedly.

Why do these feelings of guilt and sickness crowd in when the deed's done?? Either strike before so the deed may NOT be done at all, Or let me enjoy all the cake I've had!