Black Bottom Tofu with Cashew Coconut Rice

Every few months, I suddenly become aware of how I must eat a lot of protein and these days, that thought is  on my mind more than ever.

With this consciousness comes the realization of how very limited my options of getting sufficient protein are.

While we argue that beans and legumes are an optimal source of protein, many argue, they are not a 'pure' source of protein, like meat.

Well, that door is closed where I am concerned. 

What are my options then?

Having grown up eating Varan-bhaat, poli - bhaji (Daal-chaval, roti-subzi- typical meal in a Marathi- Kannadiga home)  everyday, beans and legumes are still my favored source. 

And much as I dislike it, I must acknowledge, so is Tofu.

My dislike for Tofu is second to  that of my dislike for eggplant. While I do not even consider eating the eggplant , tofu occasionally does make it's way in. 

I have used tofu before, and while that was necessary at that point of time, I had vowed not to eat it again. Nevertheless, the husband is *very* health conscious and turns up his nose at 'the usual' made at home and I put my foot down to bringing any alternate and pure source of protein at home, let alone make it and eat it.

Of late, I have also realized that I have a textural preference for food and some foods, therefore do not  appeal to me. 

To put it crudely, some foods make me queasy.

What a hopeless situation! But I must get tofu to amp up the protein. So every  few weeks, we drive to the local KoMart ( Asian store) and buy ourselves 4 (four) blocks of Tofu and come home. 

I groan inwardly, every time. 

I know that I need some really good  recipes for making tofu and a good place to start is the library and other blogs. I raided the library last week and came home, armed with Vegetarian Times: Fast and Easy cookbook

The result, right before your eyes!

Do the prep, drain  the tofu, and set it on a plate and weigh down with  some weight ( like a Pyrex bowl and a can or 2 in it) and drain the tofu of any excess water.

 CASHEW COCONUT RICE 
3/4 cup  Basmati Rice

1/3 cup Raw Cashew Pieces
2 Tbsp. Shredded Dry Coconut ( unsweetened)
2 Tbsp Avocado or Vegetable Oil ( I used Canola)
1 Tsp. Minced Peeled Ginger
1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds
   1/4 tsp. Turmeric powder
   1/4 tsp. Salt


BLACK BOTTOM PINEAPPLE TOFU
1 can (15 oz) Pineapple chunks in unsweetened juice
2 Tbsp Tamari or low sodium  Soy Sauce
1Tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar
1 Tbsp Oil
1 pound Firm Tofu cut into 1 inch cubes
1/2 cup Diced Carrot
1/4 cup Diced Red Bell Pepper
1/4 cup Fresh Cilantro to garnish
1 tsp Sesame seeds to garnish.

Wash the rice in several changes of water. Drain and set aside
To make the rice, put all the ingredients in a large saucepan.  over medium heat for 4 minutes  or until fragrant, stirring constantly.

For stove-top method:
Add 1 1/2 cups of water and bring to a boil.
Cover, reduce heat  to medium low  and simmer 15 minutes or until water is absorbed

My method:
Add the rice to the electric rice cooker , add water and set to cook. Done

As the rice cooks, make the black bottomed pineapple Tofu.
Drain the chunks and reserve the juice.
Combine the juice, tamari, vinegar,oil in a large non-stick pan/ skillet.
Add the tofu cubes in a single layer and bring to a boil over high heat.
Continue boiling without turning the tofu cubes (that is the key)-9 minutes or until liquid becomes thick and tofu cubes are dark brown on the bottom.
Add the pineapple chunks and the diced veges between the tofu cubes, reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking for 4 minutes or until the pineapple begins to brown. remove from heat and toss the ingredients with a spatula.

Fluff rice with a fork and spoon onto one side of the dish.Transfer tofu mixture to the other side.
sprinkle with Cilantro and sesame seeds and serve.

To me, the most difficult part is to get any kind of flavor into the Tofu. It just feels so blah! and *so* chewy.
The way tofu is cooked in this recipe helps me overcome that hurdle. I need to let it blacken more.

The bonus is the pineapple and veges which add to the over all taste and make it very appetizing!

My only issue was, there is no chili ( mirchi) in the recipe. To overcome the lack of heat, I simply use Siracha sauce. I love Siracha. It saves the day, many a times. 

I try to get  Quinoa in my meals. Tofu occasionally. Beans , legumes are of course mostly used.
So how do you all fix your meals around proteins? Leave a comment and do share your ideas and suggestions.

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Mini (Quinoa and Bean) Burgers in Pita Pockets

All these years we avoided getting cable TV. It is addicting.

And then we succumbed. We included TV in our Internet and wireless account, it was a 'bundle plan'.

Finally, about 2 weeks ago, the technician came home, installed  everything and left us with a new remote control, that now controls us.

Little S sips his morning milk watching cartoons ( he actually thinks the TV exists only for him and must play cartoons).

M comes home, demands the remote, gets it after a small struggle and threats of taking Little S to the Doctor to give 'kadu aushadh' (bitter medicine) as a cure for watching too much TV. After winning, he switches to his news channels.

And now we come to yours truly, my addiction is limited to  the Food Network, Cooking channel  and HGTV.

When I can ( read: when the boys are away), I plonk myself in front of the TV and peacefully watch what I want, no  endless chants for "Mummaaaa, cartoon. Mummaaaa cartooooooon" or Jim Cramer being mad like a...... madman and loud! 

Just the pure harmony of ingredients being mixed in the kitchens of my dreams or house hunters looking for homes of their dreams as I egg them on to buy the one that I favor.

Last Sunday, by sheer coincidence, both the boys were in their respective bathrooms, one singing tunelessly and the other telling stories to the walls and I grabbed the remote! 

And what was after the time I saw Jeff Mauro being crowned the Next Food Network Star, I saw him in his own show as the Sandwich king.

I liked how at ease he was on screen and more importantly, I liked what he was making! Veggie Mini Burger Pita with Cucumber Yogurt Sauce. 

I knew I had to make these! I love veggie burgers, I love Pita, I love yogurt cucumber combination, I mean, what's not to love?

And more importantly, it was something I could make easily, with items I had in the pantry and fridge and needed maybe just one small trip to the stores.

I have made Pita earlier and I was comfortable making them again.

The good part is,  it is healthy ( if you discount the pita part as a one time thing) and filling. Makes a wonderful lunch option or even can be a great picnic food option, pack everything carefully and separately, assemble when you are ready to eat.

Here is how you make 'em

You need :

1/4 cup Quinoa

1 Can - Cannellini Beans

1/2 cup Frozen Corn, thawed

• 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

For the burgers:

 Rinse the quinoa in several changes of water. This is important, quinoa has a bitter taste if not washed thoroughly.

Boil 1/2 cup of water and add the rinsed quinoa. Cover and cook on low heat until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is fully cooked. Spread it on a plate to cool.

Throw the liquid in the bean can and rinse the beans thoroughly. Roughly puree the can of cannellini in the food processor (the S'wich king purees half the beans and leaves the other half for later, a little chunky). Add the cooked quinoa, the cannellini puree, corn, panko, cilantro, salt, chili powder, cumin, garlic, pepper and lemon juice in a large bowl. Mix until it all comes together. Form 8 small patties, or smaller if you want. I made  really small patties as my Pitas were the size of  a large puri. Refrigerate the patties for 15 minutes to firm up.

Heat the oil in a large Cast iron / nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook the patties until golden brown, 5 to 8 minutes per side.

Cucumber Yogurt Sauce:

• 1/2 cup English cucumber, diced
• 1/2 cup non-fat Greek yogurt ( I used regular home made yogurt)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons tahini *
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1 small clove garlic, grated
• Hot sauce, for sprinkling
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Mix the cucumbers, yogurt, lemon juice, tahini, sugar, garlic in a small bowl. Sprinkle with hot sauce, salt and pepper.

* I made the Tahini at home, since it is such a small quantity. Toast sesame seeds until light brown, cool. Grind to a paste adding some oil ( I added approximately 2 glugs). Tahini is ready. 

ASSEMBLY

Place 2 patties inside each pita, top with a dollop of Cucumber Yogurt Sauce, some lettuce and tomato. 

The Burgers can be enjoyed by themselves, just spear some lettuce leaves (torn) and tomato slice on a toothpick with a burger in the middle.

                                   

Enjoy with some Siracha Sauce for dipping.

Tweedledum and Tweedledee

TGIF, Folks! Enjoy the weekend!

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Mexican Pizza

I like Taco Bell, but do not frequent it very often. And when I do, I usually pick up the 7 layer Burrito and that's it. I hardly bothered with  trying new tastes, an occasional chalupa (?) maybe.

That said, I do like Mexican food but I am not too keen on going out to eat, why? because it makes me suspicious. Huh? It has familiar ingredients. Yes, but what if lard is used in anything? Years ago, I read a post by a blogger ( her blog is private now) who mentioned the free use of lard as a cooking medium. I could not digest that and now I am more comfortable eating at Indian restaurants and trying some recipes (non Indian), that I like, at home.

My friend, Sonali, taught me this recipe ( among others, which will soon be featured on AC@H- I think I will call it the Sonali Trilogy!!).

Her son, though 2 years older than my boy, is a good companion to little S, playing, teaching and occasionally grumbling. The kids and the Mom's get along well! 

Now Sonali is a working woman and on her weekly off days, she is bustling about in her kitchen making all the things her son enjoys eating and we all benefit from that ;)

One such weekly off day, she made Mexican Pizza and invited me over. As a result, the first recipe of the year comes to you, from Sonali's kitchen and reproduced in mine and over to you! 

There are a couple of variations to the original recipe (Taco Bell)  and still more made in my kitchen.

This 'pizza' is very filling and a one dish meal.

The ingredient list is a bit long, involving getting a lot from the stores, but the end product is so worth it! 

Arm yourself with :

Tortillas ( Flour Tortillas recommended, but for healthier version, choose wheat, be prepared for change in taste) I used 6 inch 

1 can Refried Beans ( my friend Vandana, tells me that most refried beans are made with bacon, so make sure if you are a vegetarian, to select a 100% vegetarian can of refried beans, read the label / ingredient list, carefully).

Salsa

Taco Sauce ( I got Taco Bell brand, available at most grocery stores)

Mexican Blend Cheese

Chopped Bell Pepper

Chopped Green Onions / Scallions (green and white )

Chopped Tomato

Jalapeno (optional) 

Cilantro to garnish

I empty the refried beans in a non stick sauce pan and gently re-heat them. I also added some chili flakes and cumin and garlic powder, adding any spices is purely optional.

Pre heat the oven to 400 deg. F.

There are 2 ways you can go about making this pizza.

METHOD 1:

This involves deep frying the Tortillas in oil (prick the tortilla using a fork or else it will puff up, like a puri)

Drain the tortillas on tissue paper (2 tortillas to a pizza)

ASSEMBLY:

Take one tortilla, Spoon  about  1/3 cup ( or less) of the refried beans evenly on top. If you are using Salsa, spread 1 tbsp of it over the beans.

Place the second tortilla over the first.

Spread  some Taco Sauce over the second tortilla.

Top with shredded cheese, and the chopped vegetables.

Place the assembled pizza on a baking tray and place inside the oven and bake  for about 8-10 minutes until the cheese has melted 

Cut, using a pizza cutter and serve immediately.

METHOD 2:

Spray the Tortillas with oil, on both sides and bake in the oven for about 10 minutes or until the tortilla has golden spots on it and the edges are crispy golden brown.

Remove from the oven and follow the procedure as mentioned in ASSEMBLY

NOTES:
Deep fried Tortillas  are super crunchy and tasty, as most deep fried things are. I prefer the baked version with minimal oil. The tortillas crisp up beautifully in the oven and make it a relatively guilt free indulgence.

These are best eaten as soon as they are made. The refried beans make the tortillas soggy, if kept longer. But  in case you do have some left overs, try toasting them in a toaster oven  for a few minutes and serve.

I used 6 inch Flour Tortillas and found one pizza quite filling.

Additional toppings suggestions : Avocado slices/ cubes and sour cream.

I'd like to try whole wheat Tortillas next time.If you try WW Tortillas, do drop me a comment and let me know how you like 'em.

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Goodbye 2012, Hello 2013!

2012 was such a roller coaster ride. up and down, round and round..... When did it start? And now, it's ending.

So many things happened, as they always do, no doubt, in every body's life and we (my little family) are no exceptions.

I have lost my patience many more times than I care to remember. I feel ashamed.

I have cried, as though my heart was broken, indeed, it felt like that, I survived.

I laughed, loudly, I cherish those moments.

I made new friends, strengthened the bond of an acquaintance to a strong and reliable friendship.

I missed my parents, so much that I started imagining them with me in my home or riding the car with me... I was lonely.

I watched my son grow taller, I felt proud yet sad, he is no longer the infant I held in my arms, soft as butter, no longer the toddler, who ran round the apartment in his diaper squealing with joy and avoiding all attempts at putting him into a pair of tracks. 

I watched him climb into the school bus, his face aglow with happiness at getting to ride the great big yellow school bus! I missed putting him in the car seat and strapping him in and kissing him before I got into the drivers seat. I sighed! 

I watched Father and Son playing games and felt like a complete family, even if it was the weekend. I wished for better and I got my wish. 

After 41/2 long years, we are a full-time family, once more. M got a local job and what was a dream is now reality. Talking, watching movies, going out for a coffee, just because we want to, in the middle of the week was something we wished for, simple pleasures, which are so easily taken for granted! My son now understands that 'office' means  his father goes in the morning and returns in the evening as opposed to going on either Sunday or Monday and returning on Thursday night as we had led him to believe.

This year, after a long wait, I finally managed to enroll myself for Wilton Cake Decorating classes! I wanted to try my hand at something crafty ( since I am a bit handicapped in this department, cannot draw a straight line!) and see if  could, you know, learn. 

Here are some pictures of the cakes I decorated.

This was my first cake. I tried out all the techniques and tips I had used in the first 3 lessons (each course/ level has 4 classes, you make a cake and decorate it in the last class)

  

Some of the cupcakes I decorated in the first course. The icing is Butter cream Frosting, using the Wilton prescribed measurements.

Course 2 was even more fun! We were learning to make delicate little flowers using Royal Icing. I am not a crafty person and have never been able to do the simplest things, I honestly *never* imagined making flowers and decorating cakes! But here I was, learning! I was so happy! 

 We also learned the Basket Weave, which is not very difficult, but I  need practice and patience! 

And then , before I knew it, I had signed up for course 3! I was so eager to learn more!

4 weeks went by in  a flash and here I was, learning to make calla lillies, and mums, and roses and daisies! oh what a thrill! 

I wanted to do a little something more to this cake, but I ran out of time in the class. When I decided to finish it at home, my son was a little too eager to help and so I decided to leave things as they were, at least until I had taken pictures ( and then my friends came over and we cut the cake and ate it, so there you are! )

The Cake is Classic yellow cake (box mix), I made 2- 8 inch cakes and a filling of whipped cream and added pineapple chunks in the middle.

The frosting was Cheesecake flavor. I used store bought Fondant , tinted it with neon green (  just a few drops to get a light color) and the border in neon blue.

The daisies are made of Gum Paste.

I am now looking forward to the last course.

My cup runneth over! 

Wishing all my dear readers a Very Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year! May all your dreams come true! 

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Kokum Kadhi- a taste of Khandesh.

I would  wait for my Mother to make kadhi and khichadi or just kadhi, I loved sipping hot kadhi, in fact, if my Mother would allow it, I would make a meal of only that, like soup, warm, filling and oh-so-very-tasty! 

Just when I thought there was no match for Kadhi, Lisa(my BFF) made a face and declared, "this is not kadhi", laying particular emphasis on the not. I was stunned into silence. I slowly put down my spoon, un-sipped and stared and stupidly said, " is too".  She shook her head and looked mulish, as did I. Neither would budge. We both loved 'our' kadhi.

Then one day, when Lisa's elder sister was away, and so we decided to  make the 'real kadhi' as she called it. I shrugged and  stood by her side. She got our several items, all of which looked like they belonged to some really, really long and tedious recipe, not kadhi! After much persuasion, she agreed to adding besan (chickpea flour) to the yogurt. Something in common, I said to myself! 

Then what happened, neither knows, but all sorts of things went into it, the color and odor (yes, yes, odor.. if you had seen what all went into that sauce pan, you'd say odor too) changed with the addition of every spice. Finally, with a shadow of a doubt in her voice, Lisa pulled out a packet of Sambar Masala and looked at it. She sniffed at it and  almost triumphantly said, "this is the last ingredient". "North meets South Kadhi, Lisa?"

She arched her eyebrow and said, "Delhi mein aisa hi banta hai, Pallu" (That the way we make it in Delhi). I shrugged again.

The final outcome, neither ate that day. The taste was appalling and killed any desire of even ordering , as we would have otherwise done.

Years later I tasted the real thing. To this day, Lisa and I share a laugh over the 'kadhi' we made in her sister's kitchen. By the way, Lisa makes awesome kadhi now!

Over the years I have tasted several versions of kadhi, from different regions of India. Then one day, over a year ago, I tasted yet another version, without yogurt this time, which totally tickled my taste buds and left me craving for more! 

My dear friend, Dipali, made this version and shared the recipe with me. It has taken a while to be featured on the blog only because I did not have a decent picture of it.

It was Kokum Kadhi. It was a Khandeshi preparation, she told me. I admit, I know nothing about this cuisine, despite the fact that it is in Maharashtra! So many things to learn!

           

                                     

Right around Diwali this year, I was lucky to have met 3 other bloggers, who live around the Dallas area. We met at Supriya's home, Richa, Jaya and I. It was a fun evening and of course good food! 

Supriya gave us a goody bag and among other things was a Ziploc containing Kokam/ Amsool and as you can guess, I had to make Kokum Kadhi with it.

The Kokum Supriya gave me are SO good! If you soak them in warm water the color released is the true,'amsooli' color! 

In an odd way, I was glad I had not blogged about this recipe earlier, maybe it was because I wanted to show you all the real color the kadhi should be! 

Thank you Dipali and Supriya! 

This kadhi pairs well with steaming hot white rice as well as with Moogachi khichadi.

Here's how you make it.

You need:

7-8 pieces of Kokum

1 tsp. Besan (chickpea flour)

1 Tbsp. Ghee

1 tsp each Mustard seed and Cumin seed

1 Green chili

dash of Asafetida

Few curry leaves

1 tsp ( or less, as per taste) Red chilies powder

Jaggery, a biggish lump ( you need to adjust the quantity to balance the sweet and sour taste)

Salt to taste

Cilantro, to garnish

Boil water and soak the Kokum in it, overnight.

The next day, using your fingers, squeeze the kokum and strain  the water and discard the solids.

Add the chickpea flour to the kokum water and stir well, ensure there are no lumps.

Heat ghee in a sauce pan. 

Add mustard seeds and after they pop, add the cumin seeds.

*Though Dipali has not mentioned it, I add a dash of asafetida (hing) 

Add the green chili and the red chili powder and *curry leaves.

Add the kokum-besan mixture and add 1 cup water and mix.

Once it comes to a boil, add salt and jaggery to taste.

Let it boil for a minute or so.

Garnish with chopped Cilantro.

Serve ladled over piping hot white rice.

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Sweet Corn Soup

Since the weather has made up it's mind to keep low, it is time to bring out the soup recipes. Simple, hearty , filling and brimming with healthy ingredients. 

Do I need to explain any more?!

A steaming hot bowl so capable of spreading warmth and making me feel so good deserves a mention on the blog.

My love for soup, when young, was limited strictly to Tomato Soup. Other soups did not exist. Indeed, many restaurants, at that time boasted only of Cream of Tomato soup and some with Clear Veg. Soup. 

Then came the Indo-Chinese restaurants and they took everything up one level and oh my! the variety of soups they offered! And the flavors! What an explosion in every slurpy spoonful! 

I will admit though, I do not make those soups, I still favor Tomato soup ( and the Marathi Tomato Saar) above all, but always order some spicy Indo-Chinese Soup when we eat out.

Perhaps the simplest (but flavorful)soup is the Sweet Corn Soup. What I like is how very simple it is to put together, once you have the ingredients on hand. For those watching their food or limiting their intake need not fear of indulging in this one! Full of vegetables and no oil, ya heard me! NO oil make this a winner! and for those sniffly days when the eyes and nose waters and the throat itches and tempers flare, take a comforting bowl and make it a meal. This is one of the soups I learned at a cookery class I took, long ago.

It is for one of the reasons stated above that this soup was made in the kitchen today.

My friend Sujata was on a holiday in Los Angeles and her poor little daughter caught a bug. The poor child has been under the weather the whole time and is just about recovering, with a heavy dosage of antibiotics. And ever since they got back, a couple of days ago, Sujata is feeling a bit down too, no wonder. I am hoping this soup will make them feel a bit better. I know it isn't medicine, but just having a warm comforting bow of soup can help just a bit.

You Need: 

1 Can Sweet Corn Cream Style (14.75 oz)

approx. 1 cup Mix Vegetables, I used :

2 medium Carrots

approx. 1/2 cup shredded Cabbage

8-10 French beans

1/2 Green Bell Pepper

(*)Veg. Stock

Salt to taste

approx. 1.5 Tbsp. Rice Vinegar

1 tsp. Black pepper powder ( Optional)

Spring onion / Scallions, chopped to garnish

2 tsps. Cornstarch, mixed with a little water to make a smooth paste.

Chop the mix vegetables, finely and steam them. Set aside.

In a sauce pan, empty the contents of the can.

Add the veg stock to the corn. (*) I filled the sweet corn can with stock and added it in and also the same quantity water. 

You can use just stock, omit the water.

Boil the corn and stock mix for about 3-4 mins.

Add the vegetables and salt and Vinegar, mix.

Add the cornstarch paste  and stir well to combine and let it boil.

Add pepper powder, if using before switching off the heat.

now you have 2 options, add the scallions (white and green) and leave until you serve or just before you ladle out the soup, put some scallions in the bowl and ladle soup on top and serve.

NOTES:

-I used Rachel Ray brand Veg. Stock (no particular preference, just picked it up  in the store), hence the deep brown color.

-You can make your own vegetable stock

- The use of black pepper powder is optional, but it does add a kick to the soup. That is particularly welcome, to me, in the cold weather.

-If you do not have a can of Sweet Corn, cream style, use regular sweet corn , take 1 cup of corn and pulse it in the mixie/ food processor and use.

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'Twas the night before....A White Christmas

'Twas the night before Christmas....the man and the child slept peacefully. I sat alone, in the living room, legs tucked  under a thin shawl and curled up in one corner of the sofa, reading. Page after page, I read, then, at one point,  I closed the book, thinking, wondering, imagining, I  shivered a bit, turned and switched on the portable heater to warm my feet. Not that it was so cold, but I felt chilled. It was because of the book I was reading. 

A few weeks ago, my Father and I were discussing books and he recommended, 'The man-eaters of Kumaon'  and I immediately checked my local library listing for the same.  It was unavailable and so I  went on to the inter-library loan section and put in my request.

As I sat reading line after line, page after page, I was in the book, I was walking alongside the author, observing, yet unseen by the characters in the book, like Harry Potter in the Pensieve. I watched with bated breath as the author came face to face with a man-eating tiger and raised his rifle, my blood froze and a scream died in my throat. 

The tiger was dead, the villagers and I were relieved and I came back to reality, it was rather late and I had not realized but there was a thunderstorm brewing outside! 

I crept into bed, the man and child did not stir, I sighed, turned over and closed my eyes as the thunder rumbled and lightning flashed all night. And then, all of  a sudden, I was awake and fully alert and sitting bolt upright in bed, next to me, M was sitting up too, still groggy with sleep. We both heard it, a scrambling, scratching.... panicky sort of sound, like, like..... claws on wood...

To my man-eating-tiger-inflamed mind, it was fuel to fire. A million thoughts and images  flashed in my mind as a brilliant flash of lightning lit the room for  two seconds. And among those million thoughts and images, one image stood out clearly, as though it was yesterday.

I put that thought on hold as M and I tried to determine the sound, concluding it was our noisy, upstairs neighbor ( and possibly a big size dog they own, who was scared senseless by Mother Nature) we lay down again, listening to the thudding of our own hearts.

I turned over and smiled and went back to my thought.

About a decade ago, two young girls sat out in the balcony of the apartment that overlooked  a hillside, dense with vegetation after the abundant Mumbai Monsoon. Somewhere a small waterfall tinkled and gurgled and crickets chirped. 

Lisa and I, after a long day at college, found it very relaxing. Just sitting out there in the balcony / patio, talking of anything except our day and studies. Mostly we wove stories with what we had read and what we saw around us.

That night, we were intrepid hunters, hunting in the dense forests. The balcony tiles became our 'machan' (n. In tiger-shooting, a high platform or some device to protect and conceal the hunter while he is watching for the tiger. The machan is usually built in a tree and is concealed by the branches. source:Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia) as we watched  and waited for the 'lame-one' to make an appearance.

Many a tale we wove with the lame tiger (Sherekhan, I must admit) as the 'shikar'. How we laughed! How naive we were! 

Intrepid! Pshaw! We would run for miles, screaming like banshees, if we saw a lizard on the wall! 

As I read  about the man-eaters, I saw in my minds eye, the image of a tiger I had seen in Jijamata Udyan (or Ranichi Baug or the Mumbai Zoo as it was known). As I stood near the enclosure, hands on the rail, desperate for a glance of the famous tiger, almost giving up when I saw him! First a paw and then silently, like a thought, the hulking shape of a tiger came in full view, his enormous face, glinting eyes, sleek coat, the orange and black stripes, muscles rippling slightly as he walked. For two seconds, our eyes met and then slowly, with indifference, he put his face down and lapped some water and then almost deliberately, turned his back on me and went back into the bamboo shade that was made for him and lay down. 

I realized, I was gripping the metal railing and unknowingly and the first look at that enormous and strong paw, my eyes had gone to the padlock wondering if it was indeed safe. For I saw, one swipe at that lock and the tiger would have been free, can chains and a Nav-Tal  like lock, even if it was the biggest one in the market, at that time, survive an 8 foot (possibly more) full-grown Tiger, if and when roused?

I left the zoo with that image burned forevermore into my memory and respect for the Tiger and pity, that such a magnificent beast was caged.

I slept with all these thoughts whirling in my mind, wondering what Christmas morning would bring, rain? cold winds? hail?... snow? 

Looks like a lot of people wished for a white Christmas...

As I looked out of the window in the morning, all was quiet, there was no indication that a thunderstorm had raged just hours ago. 

There was a sudden flurry of snowflakes and we watched it fall softly to the ground as we ate a late breakfast.

Donning our thick boots and jackets we ran out into the patio and danced about and when we were shivering, dashed back into the living room, into the cozy warmth. 

All fears of the night forgotten, happy that we were celebrating a White Christmas! 

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