Adhi Potoba

The best fish fry I've had (besides my mom's kitchen) was at a small beach resort in Alibaug called Parnakuti. Well, it was more of a coconut farm on the sea with a few huts and some hammocks to sleep in. A bonfire to keep you warm at night and a complimentary tube of Odomos. Of course when you're 20 and with a group of people whose main aim in life is polishing off a bottle of Old Monk , purchased off city limits to avoid paying excise duty, the accommodations are just a minor detail. As dismal as the accommodations are, the home cooked food is spectacular. Mrs Padwal at Parnakuti cottages on Versoli Beach , serves usals and misals along with Konkan-style Bangda, Bombil (Bombay Duck) , Fried Pomfret, Surmai and Prawn Curries. It is well worth the 3 hour drive from Pune to Alibaug for some really good seafood. Ingredients 1 lb Mahi Mahi Fillets cut into 1" thick strips. ( Pomfret or Surmai is much better). 1/2 Cup Buttermilk 1 tsp Chilli Powder 1/2 tsp Turmeric 2 ...

A big part of one’s childhood in Pune includes going to every useless function your mother drags you to. ‘ Satyanarayana chi Puja ’ is on of those events. Having attended my share of Satyanarayans, I still couldn’t tell you what it is for. What I do know is that the ‘Prasad’ is the most awesome Sheera you’ll ever have. Actually, it is worth hauling your behind to a Satyanarayan just for the Sheera. I happend to talk to my mother about why that particular version of Sheera tastes good as opposed to the low-budget version we sometime have with out afternoon tea. Apparently all ingredients come in a 1:1 ratio. i.e. 1 cup sugar : I cup ghee : I cup of milk : I cup dried fruit. I think it should also come with a defibrillator. So in the interest of coronary health, here’s a recipe for everyday Sheera. You’ll need: I cup Rawa Sooji or Semolina) ½ Sugar (3/4 cup if you like it sweeter) 1 tbsp Ghee ½ cup Dried Fruit (almonds, cashews, raisins) ½ cup
 Milk ½ cup
Water ½ tsp Cardamom powder o...

If you've never had your Chai 'cutting' style (or a strong, sweet coffee), chances are you weren't very loved by your Puneri friends. In all my days spent at Vaishali (which would probably be each day I was a student at Fergusson and most days after that) I never had the good fortune of having an entire cup of tea. Every time the waiter brought you your cup of tea, chances are that you'd have at least 2 empty glasses (one of them probably cracked) shoved right next to your cup. Just so you could 'cut' the chai by two. Chai never tastes as sweet in a styrofoam cup at Starbucks or even your own kitchen in New York City. Chai can only be enjoyed when one cup is divided into as many parts as there are people at the table. May there always be more people at your table than cups of Chai   Ingredients:   Per 1 cup of water 2 tsp sugar 3/4 tsp black CTC Indian tea (preferably orange pekoe) 1/2 inch cube of ginger (crushed) 4-5 cardamom seeds (crushed) or 1/8 ts...

One of my fondest memories of Pune during the monsoons was driving to the top of Sinhagad on a rainy day. Usually, the rain would clear by the time you reached the fort only to be replaced by thick fog. Quite the romantic destination for young couples still living with their parents. The other attraction at Sinhagad are the hot bhajjias and taak (fresh buttermilk in earthen pots) made by people living is small huts at the base of the fort . For some reason this combination seems extremely delicious at the pinnacle (not to be confused with Pinnacle at Chandani Chowk) then it does at sea level.

Bhajjias are one of the most popular snacks in Pune and a must 4:00 p.m. Especially with your Kinetic parked under a Gulmohar , a 'cutting' chai and a cream roll. Besides they're extremely easy to make. Here’s what you need. 1 Potato, sliced. 1 cup besan (chick pea flour) 1 cup Water ½ tsp cumin powder ½ tsp chilli powder ½ tsp turmeric powder Pinch of baking soda Salt to taste. Oi...