The Snapper Saga

Last Sunday I came across white snapper and red snapper that looked really fresh at Spencer's fish shop, so I got both and also mackerel. Now, I am surprised. The white snapper, red snapper and the mackerel are way cheaper than Beckty, Hilsa and even rui! So, I am on a mackerel and snapper binge fest!

So, today was a Red Snapper dinner. This recipe has been pieced from Kylie Kwong's show, Ken Hom's recipes and also flavors from Vietnam and Thailand. This one is deep fried Red Snapper with a tangy chilly tamarind sauce. This is so simple and took me about 30 mins to prep and cook. The sauce was tamarind water, lime juice, sugar, garlic macerated, chillies chopped finely, shallots minced, coriander, mint leaves (that for some reason arent visible in the photo) and fish sauce. The fish was dusted with salt, pepper and flour and deep fried just like Kylie Kwong's technique and it was absolutely smashing! The fish was deep fried first and the sauce just poured over it. This was so good, it should be made illegal. I kid you not.

Red Snapper deep fried with tamarind chilly garlic sauce.

On Sunday, for dinner, I decided to bake the White Snapper. I wanted a clean, plain mouthfeel, so decided to keep the fish free from spices. I rubbed the snapper with olive oil, lime juice, salt and pepper, threw some garlic flakes over it and plonked it in the oven at about 190deg C for about 20-25 minutes. This was perfection. The fish was cooked perfectly. The freshness of the fish was not drowned by any spice or flavouring and each bite was moist, flaky and tasty.

Baked White Snapper

I got flowers in the spring

I asked for masses of flowers. I got masses of flowers. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you so very much!

Do Not Be Angry When You Go To Sleep

If you want a lover
Ill do anything you ask me to
And if you want another kind of love
Ill wear a mask for you
If you want a partner
Take my hand
Or if you want to strike me down in anger
Here I stand
Im your man

If you want a boxer
I will step into the ring for you
And if you want a doctor
Ill examine every inch of you
If you want a driver
Climb inside
Or if you want to take me for a ride
You know you can
Im your man

Ah, the moons too bright
The chains too tight
The beast wont go to sleep
Ive been running through these promises to you
That I made and I could not keep
Ah but a man never got a woman back
Not by begging on his knees
Or Id crawl to you baby
And Id fall at your feet
And Id howl at your beauty
Like a dog in heat
And Id claw at your heart
And Id tear at your sheet
Id say please, please
Im your man

And if youve got to sleep
A moment on the road
I will steer for you
And if you want to work the street alone
Ill disappear for you
If you want a father for your child
Or only want to walk with me a while
Across the sand
Im your man
If you want a lover
Ill do anything you ask me to
And if you want another kind of love
Ill wear a mask for you

My Vada-Pav Eating Expedition

I'm not really into street food. I am however, into Anthony Bourdain. And if Anthony can eat Vada-pav once and dig it, should I not atleast have one Vada-pav experience? So, desperate measures were in order. In desperate times, one turns to moms. Non? So, I rang up mata and explained the dire necessity of eating Vada-pav. I needed to visit Mumbai and partake of Vada-pav or else life was not worth living.

Well, in summary, Veni, Vidi, Veci......

Mata and Mr. Mata dutifully surveyed all the Vadewale in their area and came up with Shreedutt on the Panvel-Pune Highway. This was a sight to watch. No sooner were the vadas out of the kadhai, they landed right in the plates of people who just could not seem to get enough. We also had misal, saboodaana khichdi and kokum sherbet, but thats for another post. The vade were good.
A week after that, I went to Pune to my visit my parents and I related our Vada-pav expedition and my parents told me of Joshi Vadewaale, apparently the best Vadewale of Pune, who according to them must be closed due to Swine flu, because EVERY FUCKING thing in Pune was closed. However, in the spirit of things and to further our Vada-pav research, my father went on an exploratory mission and located 2 vadewaale in Baner (where they stay) - Rohit Vadewaale and one another who's name, sadly I have forgotten now. Anyhow, Vade were obtained "purely for research" - 4 each - Daddy dearest being a scientist always does VERY precise things, and consumed "purely for research"! The things we do for science!

The Other One

Rohit Vadewale

Hmmmmmm..... The truth was that we couldnt decide which were better. According to me, potatoes - good, deep fried in batter - good, soft pav - good, deep fried chillies - good, garlic chutney - good. All together - Good.

However, the Shreedutt vade had an edge because they were piping hot, the garlic chutney had an interesting edge. However, the pav was not so great.

The End!

What I Want For My Birthday

I have been so busy, I totally forgot to post my normal greedy, supplicating, hoping Birthday Gift List that ONLY my sister seems to read and works on. OHIFORGOT, no one else EVER reads my blog. Sigh! So, this is yet another greedy, supplicating Birthday Gift wishlist.

1. Masses of flowers.
2. Pure White Linen (the key factor is "pure". White linen is NOT pure white linen.) - just to make this less of a puzzle for people who do not have boobs - this is perfume. Ok? And, I want a lifetime supply, because whatever perfume I start using, gets discontinued.
3. 5 pairs of the best shoes ever - coccinelle, prada and geox - Me, i'm all about simple and specific tastes. AND I don't get these brands in Calcutta and I havent had the time to shop ANYWHERE ELSE.
4. 5 or 6 cases of good prosecco OR Moet & Chandon. Not a bottle, okay?
5. My weight in unpasteurised, blue cheese, preferably french.
6. My weight in iberian ham OR parma ham.
7. A personal trainer who will come, drag me out of home and shout me into submission and make me exercise.
8. A bathtub and someone who will get my bathroom done promising no dust or headaches and chasing after plumbers, masons etc.
9. A really great lamp.
10. The perfect jeans.
11. The best hug ever that lasts for atleast 7 minutes.
12. A holiday in Hawaii OR Istanbul OR anywhere in Italy (with airconditioning) OR Mauritius OR fucking anywhere.
13. A single chocolate brownie.
14. A blackberry flip pearl.
15. The entire season of family guy.
16. Many, many paintings.
17. Mysorepak.
18. Veg Chop from Harry's.
19. A size 30 waist.
20. Did I mention masses and masses and masses of flowers?

I only wish I wasnt getting older. Sigh!

Yes, Venice IS that Beautiful

What excites me about travelling is to get to know how other people live. I am so curious to see what people do, how they stay, what they eat, what they drink, how they love, where they stay and where do they go. I love peeping into houses and open windows and see people like busy little ants, go about their business. I often just look at people, and dream up stories about who they are, what they do and since I read too many thrillers and mysteries in my formative years, every one is a secret agent. Venice in my brain is all about love affairs, people looking for an escape, people in love with decaying decadent beauty (moi?), writers looking for their muses, composers who haven't written a note for years, artists who had to get away because they wanted to feel colour again, rock stars with their sixteen year old girlfriends, doddering old contessas who will not leave their crumbling mansions and pasta with seafood so fresh it makes you cry. Yet, I went to Venice for work and sans lover/s. Sigh!
And Life Goes On......
Won't You Come Into My Parlor?

Watching The World Go By... One Gondola At a Time...

Flowers That Would Have Cheered Up Even The Devil.

Shelter From The Storm?

The Picture That EVERY Tourist Just HAS to Take...

Window of Opportunity - Now Closed...

Mums The Word

Everything tastes better at mom's. EVERYTHING. Even plain roti and dal. Ask my nephew, he'll vouch for it. WHOWOULDVETHUNK? I miss the oldies so much!