In 1979, Basu Chatterjee made Baaton Baaton Mein and unobtrusively brought to us the dating and courtship rituals of a community that was till then either caricatured or just overlooked in Hindi cinema. Nancy Perreira and Tony Braganza…
Read More
Matriarchal manipulation in a patriarchal world is depicted unsparingly in Usha Priyamwada’s Pachpan Khambe Laal Deewarein (Now playing on Prasar Bharti). The mother resentful of her lecturer daughter’s comfortable life in her college residence because the younger daughters…
Read More
“Start with hope..always start with hope. We went from being a shitty team to become one of the biggest dynasties in the sport and all it needed was one match to light this fire,” says Michael Jordan at…
Read More
In 1947, my grandparents brought three children and the remains of an uprooted life from Pakistan to India in a train. One of those children was my mother. I grew up hearing a lot of stories about the…
Read More
Three documentaries streaming right now show the ultimate culmination of the Bois Locker Room culture. And what happens when one gender is taught to mistrust its instincts of self-preservation and the other does not even learn something as…
Read More
In Sudip Sharma’s Paatal Lok (Now streaming on Amazon. Co written by Sharma, Sagar Haveli, Hardik Mehta and Gunjit Chopra. Directed by Avinash Arun and Prosit Roy), India’s disowned inhabit the headlines we turn away from. A young…
Read More
You are browsing archives for
For the first writing workshop by Unboxed Writers, the Leanin’ Tree Art Café is the perfect choice. Here is a piece that I did on Leena Chethan, the driving force behind the cafe in April 2015 for The New Indian Express. Art has been a passion for Leena Chethan for as far back […]
For a very good reason, pasta is one of the most popular foods in the world ! It is tasty, easy to cook and can be used in a wide variety of dishes. It’s also extremely satisfying to make from scratch and uses only two ingredients. So it can easily be made when there’s not […]
The ethereal kashmir has been a bone of contention between two very unhappy neighbours. But its lush green meadows, snow filled valleys, warm kangris, hospitable people and delicious cuisine keep drawing travellers despite the tension. I did this trip independently with a friend without a tour package, guide or private taxi. Here are some useful […]
Round white tables with wooden chairs, transparent glass tumblers with steaming chai, steel glasses for water, memorabilia from the 70s and 80s on the wall, signs in Hindi all over the place, chequered black and white floor and even a ‘nimbu-mirchi’ strung together to ward off the evil eye! There is a word for the faculty […]
Back in Delhi, when I was a little girl, there used to be a tikki, chaat and golgappa vendor who would pass by our street every evening. The distinct sounds of ‘tun-tun’ that the steel ladle made as it hit the iron tawa and the sizzling and sputtering of the golden fried crispy potato patties […]
Matar aur Kulcha, a spicy and tangy street food of Delhi evokes a lot of strong memories. We used to wait for the local Matar Kulcha vendor’s cycle cart and his distinct bell. The matar gravy would cook slowly in a brass pot or ‘pateeli’ over a coal angeethi. The air would be filled […]
Delhi is where I was born and raised and it still tugs at my heart with all the memories of my mother’s redolent, welcoming kitchen. My mother’s cooking was simple and honest and yet on certain occasions, she prepared rare delicacies that were both complex and beguiling. The flavours of certain dishes have the ability to […]
Delhi is the receptacle of bold flavours and a myriad cuisines but it is the local food that is unlike anything you will find anywhere else. Dilli ka khaana is a special memory for all those who have grown up in Delhi and traversed its lanes to hunt for the best paranthas and chaats. In […]
Nisha Madhulika looks like the aunt whose kitchen was your favourite haunt during your holidays. Yes, the one who had a warm, kind manner and knew how to satiate your soul’s cravings with meals that you will not find in any restaurant just because no chef can cook the way she can. She is in […]
George Calombaris is a diminutive man but you would never know it. He is someone who could always see the big picture and the story goes that when he was an apprentice, he used to work with a really tall chef. But George would be too busy running the ship to notice that. He […]
Ingredients 2 medium size bunches of coriander leaves (about two baking cups) 12-14 dry red chillies 1 lime sized ball of tamarind 1/2 cup urad dal (baking cup measure) 2 tsp (flat) asfoetida Salt to taste 1. Wash and dry the coriander stem and leaves. 2. Chop the stem and leaves into little pieces. […]
Ingredients (Baking cup quantity measures) Grated carrots – 2 cups Light brown sugar – 3/4 – 1 cup (depending on how sweet you like the cake) (I used 3/4 cup) Unsalted butter – 125 gms (For healthier options, use canola or corn oil) All purpose flour – 1 1/2 cups Pistachios – 3/4 cup […]