Arranging some Love..

My Brother and I were having some good laughs viewing profiles at www.keralamatrimony.com.

Yes, we're looking out for alliances for him. Its amusing how people can describe themselves as "white-complexioned", extremely good-looking, very intelligent and similar adjectives!!

How modest.

Another weird rule of the alliance-search is that the guy MUST have more alphabetic credentials ahead of his name. Basically, if she's a Graduate, he HAS to be a post-graduate, duh. If she's a PhD , you better have your guy with Supersize-PhD in Rocket Science.

Then comes the most rip-off-your-hair-and-scream-out-in-frustration torture, the Horoscope Matching. I wouldn't disregard this path of art/science because many people are staunch believers in that. Yet, there's a limit to everything people! Because, here people don't seem to be satisfied that your compatibility match works out. You need to be born with Paapam, Doshas, Jataka and one million star signs to match your life partners'. (I agree some of them do sound like dishes).

However, I cannot really blame them. It so happens that I didn't have to go through the pains of alliance-searching myself. So, I can't really be an unbiased judge.

I have so many friends and siblings who're in the same process and I must say, It can definitely be very frustrating. That's when one feels, it would have been so much easier to just fall in love with someone and be married. To certain extent, I agree to what they say. To certain extent, I would say, "...you don't just fall in love! Sure you CAN, but you gotta nurture it."

But then, one thing that's common to either Arranged or Love Marriage, something no couple can escape is, to make it all the way. Isn't it? :)

With my own marriage coming close, I wish the warmest feelings to all the people in love or in search of love, to find not the right person, but, the person right for them...and the journey ahead.

Who wants some Pav Bhaji!?

Today was one of those days when I did every task that I had been procrastinating forever.

I cleaned up my cupboard, I cleared that nagging cobweb in that unreachable corner of the bathroom, I scrubbed my heels, I cleared my dressing table of all those unwanted creams/ nail colors/ cotton balls and unbelievably even stitched that one nasty button back on my favorite pants-which-was-unusable-since-the-button broke.

Phew! I feel productive alright.

Did I brag about the fact that I got a kitchen helper/cook. (Picture me hopping around in joy). So obviously, nowadays my mind is overjoyed at the thought of going home since I would get to do the one of the things I love, COOK! Without worrying to clean, chop, dice or mince.

So, today was the Pav Bhaji day. And I must say, Bro and Prasad were floored by it. So, I will let the lip-smacking do the talking too. :) Now, giddy up and take down the quick recipe right out of my kitchen.

Ingredients

- Fresh Pav (The numbers depend on your appetite)

- Vegetables may include;

Carrots, Potatoes, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Capsicum, Tomatoes, Onion, Green Peas...Basically anything you can lay your fingers on. Except of course, Brinjal and Ladies Finger!!

- Green chillies, Coriander and lemon slices for garnish

- Pav Bhaji Masala ( I would recommend Everest or Catch)

- Salt to taste

- Loads of butter of course.

Procedure

- Wash, peel and halve the vegetables, except for onions.

- Chop the onions, coriander leaves and green chillies finely.

- If you have a food processor, I would recommend just running the raw veggies in that for a few churns. If not, you have more chopping to do. :| Don't fret over chopping evenly, they are going to be mashed anyway.

- Once ground coarsely, just pop them all into a pressure cooker and give them a few steams.

- Meanwhile, saute the onions & green chillies in oil and when golden brown, add the Pav Bhaji masala, salt and turmeric. (P.S. Spare some onions for the garnish!)

- Once, the veggies are boiled, use a large serving spoon or masher and manually mash them into a coarse pulp. Add these to the saute'd seasoned onions.

- Bhaji is ready!

- Butter a pan and roast the Pav on that. Make sure you slice them into halves for better greasing. :)

Serving Style

- Ensure piping hot Bhaji is served for the best taste. Garnish it with a blob of butter, chopped coriander leaves, chopped onions and a slice of lemon to squeeze.

- Bring in the buttered Pav.

- Serve right from the stove to the platter.

Bon Appetite!