It was back in 1992, when I received a birthday gift that sparked my interest in South Indian cooking. It was Chandra Padmanabhan’s Dakshin, which went on to become a bestseller among cookbooks. I tried one recipe after another, and […]
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As anyone from the Sheherwali community (also known as the Oswal Jains of Murshidabad) will tell you, while chopping vegetables or fruits, the knife should not leave its mark on them. Nothing is cut in a random manner. For instance, […]
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“I enjoy learning and experimenting,” she says. It is a simple mantra that reflects her zest for life and keeps her young at heart. For Sundari Ganesan, a TamBram living in Mumbai, variety is truly the spice of life. With […]
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The more I admire my friends, the more I want to meet their parents. This curiosity often stems from their underlying presence in many of our conversations. They are mentioned when we are discussing traits or habits or even likes […]
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Our mother’s pakodi kurma is an all-time family favourite to date as is her simple milky drumstick curry,” echo the Reddy sisters. Listening to them talk wistfully about their mother’s cooking, it was obvious that the taste of her food continues to […]
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Whether it is special vegetables like chakki ka saag and pachkuta or rice dishes like kabuli pulao, she grew up seeing her mother and grandmother mix the masalas themselves even though the kitchen was the cook’s domain. Indeed, 71 year-old […]
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What struck me when I stood in her kitchen was her sheer efficiency—it was neat and tidy, with well-planned cupboards stocking a wide range of ingredients. She deftly placed the jars of ingredients required for the recipe on a tray […]
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Sanskrit and film don’t often go together—whereas film is a medium of communication used to reach the masses, the ancient language of Sanskrit is viewed as the preserve of a privileged few. So when Sanskrit professor Dr G Prabha, 60, […]
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I first heard her singing at her daughter’s mehendi ceremony. Her voice had that perfect harmony of melody and mood. The listeners had no choice but to shout ‘once more’, again and again. Later, I was surprised to find out […]
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Meeting Randhir Kashyap, a silver from Gurgaon, was zooming into art and aesthetics which permeates every sphere of his work. When I asked him what makes his work special, he astutely stated, “I think I have a gift for colour. […]
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Food Art was the main theme of my this interview. Colour plays a pivotal role in his creativity, whether it is at work or wielding the ladle over his stove. As he visualizes the final colour of the dish, he […]
He describes Sirukizhangu (a seasonal root) as having the fragrance of first rain on dry earth. He laughingly informs me that sambar podi is not traditionally used in preparing sambar, but only in kozhumbu. And he gives simple tips such […]
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What happens when a practitioner of Western medicine gets magnetically drawn towards the mystic and mystifying world of Ayurveda and Yoga? In Dr. Prakash Kalmadi’s case, it leads to the evolution of KARE Foundation, a centre for holistic health that […]
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We are forever looking into EFFECT VERSUS IMPACT: If I study, I shall pass. If I put in many hours of work, I will earn enough. If I love him, he will take care of me. We believe in the […]
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In chatting with a group of youngsters yesterday, one of them said that she wished her parents were as broad-minded as I am. I wish so too. However, when I asked her, “Why do you want freedom?” she had no […]
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Right now, we are in the midst of Chaturmas – the four months when our monks and nuns stop their nomadic movements and stay in one place. This gives the lay persons an opportunity as well as an environment to […]
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On this day of Samvatsari Festival which is the festival of forgiveness and inner cleansing, these thoughts pour from the heart: Can we trace the history of hurt? How often have I explained myself saying – “I did […]
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The daughter shifted once more, looking around, hoping that the ward nurse would remind that the patient should not exert verbally, or that some visitors would drop by, anything at all, to curtail her mother’s rambling. The mother kept on […]
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So whose was the 7th murder in the film ‘Saat khoon maaf’? The butler who died of food poisoning! The housekeeper who died in fire! Some even say it is of Susanna by Dr Arun, her young admirer. And […]
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She decided she’d be a Hindi Pandit when she was barely 8. She is one today. She learnt at a very young age to wake up at 4 am and pray. She does it even now. Her curiosity to […]
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