A Festival Gone By

I’ve been wanting to post. I’ve been meaning to post…It’s just that one just gets SO caught up with a million things. There’s a beguiling charm about this metropolis, throbbing with activity 24 x 7.Especially close to Diwali time.A perfect time for bonhomie, generosity and family time.Freshly cleaned and painted homes.New “torans”hung up on the entrances. Loads of food and mithai, enough to clog your arteries.Gambling for fun-one can almost call it “guilt-free gambling”-it’s considered auspicious during the period between Dusshera and Diwali.Festive dinners where there’s a mingling of designer bags, perfumes and the latest backless cholis.And of course “diet food”.Like one newspaper rightly said that “there was a Hindi name for each of the festivals we celebrate, but there wasn’t a single translation for the word “diet”. Loads of yellow orange marigolds-traditionally used for decorating the house.Gleaming silver and brass ware.Eathenware diyas, lanterns and Ganeshas.And of course, what’s Diwali without a bit of fire works-keeping the environment in view!All this because during Diwali, everyone thanks the Goddess of wealth, Lakshmi, and the remover of all obstacles, Ganesh.

I’d begun writing this post just after Diwali-almost a month ago. Life got busy.Hectic.I was caught up in a whirlwind of activities. Home related. Work related. Guests and more guests.Illnesses.High school exams….the list is endless. Well…there were a million thoughts to be put down-all sitting on the edge of my brain as if it would burst. I guess it was just a lack of inertia. I did read and respond to my regular blogger friends.

Even though it’s well past our festival, I’m going t share the pictures taken…while shopping…at home…of the food….

As for Dinner tonight, I'm posting recipes of the easiest dish one can cook.Something Mom would put together in a jiffy for a bunch of hungry kids

Pilaf -what we in India call Pualo -was introduced to this land by the Mughals.Usually made with aromatic rice (long grain basmati),carmailzed onions , mutton ,chicken,fish, prawns or an array of veggies and is mildly spiced.Delicious,paired with yogurt, plain or as a raita-this is a one dish meal-simple, delicious and thoroughly wholesome.Something to sit outdoors and enjoy in the mellow winter sun....

Chicken Pulao

Mint Raita

Fresh Salad

Chicken Pulao

1 cup long grain basmati rice

2 chicken breasts, cubed (de-boned or on the bone)

1 red onion sliced

6 peppercorns

2 sticks cinnamon/3/4 teaspoon cinnamon powder

1big cardamom (badi elaichi)

4 cloves

1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1 + a little teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons oil

2 cups chicken stock/water

Heat oil in a dutch oven, add cumin till it splutters.(Make sure it doesn't burn!)

Add peppercorns,cinnamon sticks,cloves,cardamom and sliced onions.Cook the onions till carmalized.Add chicken.Saute for 5 minutes before adding washed basmati rice.Season with salt and red chilli powder.Pour in water/stock,cover and cook on high heat till it comes to a boil, then lower heat and cook on very low heat for about 20 minutes.

Mint Raita

Whip up yogurt with salt, red chilli powder (optional), crushed mint leaves.Chill.

Diwali (The Festival of Lights)

A dazzling array of "diyas"-lamps for Diwali.These are made of clay,and not so very long ago we'd fill them with oil, and make wicks out of cotton wool.So much easier these days with the pre-waxed ones!Diwali always falls on a moonless night,and legend has it that when Lord Ram returns home after 14 years of exile, his path was lit up with millions of "diyas".

More diyas

An array of clay Laxmi's and Ganeshas for the evening prayers

Dinnertime!

Gifts...

More lanterns