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| Power cut breakfast |
The power went off across Mumbai this morning which was rather unprecedented as the city hardly sees power cuts or ‘load shedding’ as we called it in Kolkata. We had it fairly easy with a 4 hour odd power cut where we stay. Most of which went into making breakfast and taking little Nimki to the vet’s for his vaccine shots. The power came back at the vet’s just as we reached and at home by the time we returned. There were parts of Mumbai where it came back after 11 hours I believe which was horrible. People from other parts of the country mocked Mumbaikars for venting about the power cut on Twitter. “It’s our everyday story,” they said!
Here’s a collection of myInstagram posts from the day with the odd modification.
Back to the future #FinelyChoppedBreakfasts
‘We got to install microwave ovens
Custom kitchen deliveries
We got to move these refrigerators.’
Dire Straits, Money For Nothing. The song I sung while making breakfast today.
The power went off when I woke up this morning. That meant no oven, microwave, fridge, Alexa or Nespresso machine. Internet was down and I couldn’t order in fresh bread.
I found some week old leftover gluten free bread from Baker’s Dozen in the fridge. Made French toast with it and added the Parmesan shavings leftover from the ITC Grand Central Gourmet Box meals. I was worried it would get spoilt if the fridge did not work. And who wastes parmesan?
For coffee, there was the Blue Tokai pour over coffee sachets our friend Manisha had once given us. Water boiled in a saucepan, versus our usual microwave boiled water, added in.
Little Nimki watched me in the kitchen and I told him how growing up in Kolkata in the 80s had prepared me for ‘load-shedding.’
Breakfast was excellent and being cut off from civilisation (and from work for K) meant we could enjoy it together.
Little Nimki’s Happy Tails
That’s me in the picture above calming little Nimki at the vet’s clinic before his vaccine shots today. Truth be told, I am happy to find any opportunity to cuddle him. It was funny seeing him lower his head and try to hide between K and my laps on the sofa in the cat room at Happy Tails when the orderly came in. He then went below the sofa and the doc came in and turned the sofa upright and got him out!
He took his shots like a brave boy and has now won his vet, Dr Nicole’s heart. She was a Baby Loaf loyalist from the start and was the one who pointed out to me that Loaf was a boy!
Today she told us, “you have been really fortunate to get such lovely cats.” Till, the last visit she would say that about Baby Loaf (“Baby Loaf is an angel”).
Guess Little Nimki has his way of winning over hearts!
I am happy to report that my back held up through the day despite all the activity. K could accompany me thanks to the power outage.
(K bought the new Savlon masks which we used today and they were quite comfy. Disclaimer it’s an account she handles. We keep our work separate but I thought I should tell you as the product was really good.)
Loaf Alone
When we came back, our cook Banu said Baby Loaf was crying and looking for me. She said in Hindi, the little one can stay without you but not the elder one. “Chhoti aap ke bina rahega, bada nehin.”
I spent the afternoon over-compensating. Patting him and talking to him
#NoorBanuCooks lunch
Banu had come to work today after being AWOL for two days. She decided today’s lunch menu herself based on what was at home and cooked it as she couldn’t reach us as we were at the vets. We could not reach her either. The power outage had messed up the phone lines too.
The power was thankfully back by the time we returned and the meal of alu cauliflower (“I added alu as there was only half a gobi”), chawli and bajra roti was such a relief and I followed it with my #firstespressooftheday and then a much needed afternoon nap.
#LittleJackHornerMeals #vocalforlocal usal tea
K and I had a high protein snack of sprouted green moong usal after our evening walk. Cooked by Banu. She asked me for the recipe when I requested her to make it.
‘You had made it the last time and it was YOUR recipe, I replied. Thats our #BunkinBanu for you!
The usal tasted pretty good and this time I skipped the pav. Dietician Rujuta Diwekar would be happy as she is a big advocate local foods, and in her world that is often Marathi veg dishes!
As would my doc friend Manisha who loves to see me eat Marathi food.
Mangshor Jhol forever
We had mangshor jhol, the light Bengali mutton curry, for dinner. With rice for me and with alu (potato) for us both. There was the mutton that we had bought from Mhosin a week back in the deep fridge and I did not want to risk keeping it longer in the fridge after the power outage this morning.
The truth is, there’s no better end to a day than a plate of mangshor jhol bhaat. With salad!
PS: How do you like the new hashtag here? #kittykarmakars
The picture below is from when Nimki woke up in the evening and I cuddled him and then gave him dinner and. He then came to the study and gave his dada a peck but didn’t wake him up. Baby Loaf values his sleep.
They were rather naughty at night with Nimki scratching me when I held him in my arms so that Loaf could eat and Loaf later, when I tried to clean his (Loaf’s) eyes.
It’s past 1am now. K and I have come to the study to finish our work and have left the boys in the bedroom. They are happily settled on our bed!
Update: The boys spent most of last night on the bed while we slept. Playing among themselves without disturbing us. Loaf kneaded and groomed Nimki. Suddenly the little devils became my little angels again.
The Finely Chopped Recipe corner
Mangshor Jhol:
My Mangshor jhol recipe
Ingredients:
500 g mutton on the bone (shoulder piece is the best says the missus), 1 dry red chilli, 1 bay leaf, 1/2 a teaspoon of whole cumin, a piece each of cardamom, clove & cinnamon to the oil, 2 tablespoons of mustard oil (or vegetable oil), 1 tablespoon of ginger paste and 1/2 of garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons dahi (curd), 250 ml water, spices (1 teaspoon each of cumin, coriander and turmeric powder, 1/2 teaspoon of red chilli & garam masala powder: depends on personal tastes), 2 potatoes (peeled and halved)
Cooking method:
- Heat 2 tablespoons of mustard oil
- Add a dry red chilli, a bay leaf, 1/2 a teaspoon of whole cumin, a piece of cardamom, clove & cinnamon to the oil.
- Once they splutter, add 1 sliced/ finely chopped red onion
- Once the onion is translucent (in kosha mangsho you add a lot more onion and let it cook more too) add 1 tablespoon of ginger paste and 1/2 of garlic
- Then goes in the meat which has been marinated with two teaspoons of dahi and spices, and halved potatoes. Add salt. You could add tomatoes before this stage for some added tartness. Many Bengalis though would find this to be as heretical as saying you did not believe in the Little Red Book but hey, it is not the 80s anymore!
- Add water. 250 ml for half a kilo of meat and then let it cook for about 8 to 10 whistles in the pressure cooker and another 30 minutes after that at least on a low flame in a closed cooker. Or, if not using a pressure cooker, for 1.30 hrs. If you are afraid of the potatoes getting overcooked, take them out before adding the water and then add them at then end and let them cook together for 2,3 whistles in the pressure cooker or for the last 20 minutes if cooking outside a cooker
- When done, add some roasted garam masala at the end
- Have it with hot rice and follow it with a bhaat ghoom (afternoon siesta)
