BARFI : A touching tale of incomplete souls that complete eachother!!!

 A well executed and sweet movie from start to finish!!! Commendable performances by the actors!! A real treat to the senses, that too from a movie where the male protagonist doenst even have a couple of the senses himself!! Every scene was a treat to the eyes...picturesque locales..cinematography...art direction..impeccable!!! On the whole...loved the Sweet Touching Tale of Love not having any limitations; in spite of having physical and mental limitations!!!

Have to applaud Ranbir for taking up such varied roles so early on in his career. Its a risky move, but totally paid off!! Hope he keeps delivering such mature performances going forward as well, and also really need more such movies to keep my faith in the Hindi film industry; and prove that our movies are not just about "masala" peppered with skin show, item numbers, mind numbing comedy and a lame plot!!!

Anurag Basu...lost faith in you after Kites...but you redeemed yourself and are back with a bang...keep them coming!!! :)

To be or Not to be...

It has been a while since i have last posted anything on my blog, and the few people who have actually gone through it, asked me many a times to start writing again. But somehow i was lacking the motivation for it, or shall i say, i was distracted by other things happening in my life at that point of time. I started blogging when i had no one to really talk to,and hence blogging was my way to vent out my feelings, frustrations, passions(cooking...like u don't know it already!!!) etc. Which gave me a sense of normalcy.So now with the positive words of my dear friends, who made me realize that i should not give up on something that was my only refuge from utter boredom when browsing, i have now decided to start blogging more regularly.
So as my title says "To be or not to be..." may sound Shakespearean..but trust me has got nothing to do with the bard's brilliant classic. It has got more to do with my desire to travel. Sometimes in life i do wonder why it so does happen that you want to do something which means a lot to you, and yet, it appears that all the elements are working against you. I mean, i have been grounded at home for almost close to a year(trust me i am not exaggerating..its been 9 months and 5 days and still counting!!!). But mind you, its not because of something i did, but because of something that had happened, and which justified me being grounded, as well, lets face it, i anyway could not move around even if i had wanted to(being injured and all you see). So anyway for a person like me, who is so much used to being independent and craves freedom; being bound at home without the privilege of going out anywhere on my own, and having all my friends being screened to see if its safe for me to hang out with them, and also having a curfew that starts at a time that would seem unfair to even the kindergartners; could feel worse than being incarcerated at the torturous Kalapani. But i guess i can't complain, as being so overprotective about me is just my parent's way of showing their care and concern for my safety. And all this paranoia around my safety and health just translates to their love for me.

But nonetheless, i cannot resist this overpowering urge to fight against this overprotective paranoia that my parents(especially my mom...which you must have guessed by now) have developed towards me. Because lets face it, it is kinda suffocating being unable to have the freedom to do anything that makes you feel even remotely normal. I cannot keep feeling like a patient for the rest of my life. Hence for some trace of normalcy, i had decided to go to Hyderabad, which is not exactly just for satiating my urge for freedom, but also as i have some unfinished business that i have to see to. So its more like a business come pleasure trip, but which i am sure with the amount of time that i do get to spend there, would end up being, 90% business and 10% pleasure. And believe it or not, i have been trying to convince my family and friends that i am fit enough to travel and that it is so important that i make this trip, but it always reaches a dead end due to many factors. To name a few, firstly the Telangana riots(those dumb numskulls have no idea why they are destroying the city that they are fighting so hard to acquire in the 1st place); second, the fact that fact that i will start work soon, and so if i have only 2 weeks of free time to plan any outing, after which its going to be next to impossible for me to travel; thirdly, i do not have anyone for company to travel with me(read the fine print..that my parent approve of..if not i have many great friends who can take good care of me);fourth, the only person who is kinda allowed to accompany me, can only make the trip on a weekend, giving me less than 2 days of time to wrap up my work at Hyderabad; fifth, the Ugadi festival coming up, making it hard to get the train tickets if i at all get to travel; sixth, my sister coming home for the holidays, hence preventing my sole company for travel to cancel on me..and the list can actually go on and on and on.
So keeping all these factors in mind, i seem to wonder if it is ever gonna be possible for me to travel any day soon, or is it gonna just be a distant dream, which hopefully comes true in my distant future at least.
But that doesn't mean that i will give up..because that is something i never do, until i make sure that i have exhausted every last possible resource that can fuel my plans. So i am having my fingers crossed, and please keep your fingers crossed as well and pray that i do get to travel and have some well deserved fun...i so need it!!! :-(

A New Beginning

i know its been a while since i last posted anything on my blog..but well the reason for my absence was my not feeling much well now a days! its just that when you are not doing or feeling well u just don't feel like doing anything much at all.
so hopefully il feel better soon and get back to regular blogging!
infact you know what..i am actually planning on starting a different blog tat gives information or let me say..Tips on how to understand the opposite sex. In fact i do not profess to have the ultimate knowledge..but yeah, to an extent i do know a thing or two that the guys out there ought to know to get their special someone and keep them happy, without making the guys feel tat she is from Venus and he is from mars!! so once i do start this aspect of my blogging i will let u know soon!!ta taaa!!!

Egg-less Doughnuts

Well after a long time was in the mood of eating some thing yummy...and thought what better than an amazing soft, warm doughnut. So as soon as the idea came to me, the very next minute i was online checking out for some easy recipes. At last came across a few egg-less doughnut recipes, but as usual, needed a little tweaking to get the recipe right.
Since the recipe calls for yeast in the ingredients, we just have to be very patient and accommodating, as this is a 'live' ingredient, and we have to treat the dough very gently, as we treat a living creature. Only then you will get a soft and spongy doughnut.
Here is the recipe, but just keep in mind, you need a warm atmosphere for the dough to rise properly. Hence making doughnut batter during the afternoon would be a good idea.

Ingredients:

Maida               1 cup
Sugar               3 Tbsp
Yeast               2 Tsp [one and half tsp of yeast might be enough. If not the yeast smell gets too strong]
Soft Butter       1 Tbsp
Lukewarm milk       1/2 Cup
Salt                1/2 tsp
Vanilla Essence     1/2 tsp
Water               As required
Powdered Sugar for coating
Chocolate for glazing


Method:

1. Take the flour, sugar and salt in a bowl.
2. Take the yeast in  a glass and mix it in the milk adding a  teaspoon of sugar to it and keep it aside for 10min.
3. Add the risen yeast and vanilla essence to the flour mixture and knead it gently till you get a smooth and very soft dough. Now add the softened butter and knead gently for 3 more min. Now keep it aside for rising for 30min to 1 hr, by covering with a kitchen towel or plastic.
4. Once the dough has risen to double its quantity,knead it lightly again to take out the air. The dough would be little sticky at this stage, so keep extra flour handy as you may need to add some while kneading.
5. Now dust the rolling pin and the rolling surface with flour and roll out the dough till 1 cm thickness.
6. Since i did not have a doughnut cutter, i used a wide round glass for cutting the outer circle and used the lid of a bottle for cutting the inner circle.
7. Keep the cut out doughnuts on a flour dusted plate for rising for another 30min.
8. The remaining cut up pieces of dough can be kneaded lightly and again rolled out for making more doughnuts.
9. These doughnuts need to be covered with plastic or a moist kitchen towel for rising.  But make sure the towel is not in touch with the dough.
10. Once the doughnuts again rise to double its size, it is ready for deep frying.
11. The oil has to be heated in a deep bottomed pan. But once the oil is heated the flame should be reduced, if not the doughnuts may brown on the outside but remain uncooked inside.
12. Test the oil by dropping in bits of dough. If the dough floats immediately after immersing, it means the heat is right.
13. Now gently immerse the doughnuts into the oil one after the other. If the dough has risen enough, they would float immediately in the oil. This acts as an indicator.
14. Fry the doughnuts on a medium flame till it is golden brown by constantly flipping them over.
15. Once the doughnuts are fried, keep them on tissues for getting out the excess oil.
16. These doughnuts now can be rolled on powdered sugar and kept aside for cooling.
17. For chocolate glazed  doughnuts, melt some chocolate in a double boiler or in a microwave on 40 power for 3min, or till melted. Spread this melted chocolate on the cooled doughnut using a spoon. Keep aside for the chocolate to set.
18. For sugar glazed doughnut, take 2 tbsp sugar and dissolve it in 1 tbsp water. Dip the cooled doughnuts in this sugar glaze and keep aside till the glaze sets.
19. Eat them while warm and ENJOY! For doughnuts that are stored in the refrigerator, heat them in a microwave on High for 20 sec. Then they will as soft as ever for consumption.

Social Network - The Facebook Story Revealed.

After a real long time i got to watch a movie on the big screen. Oh..how i missed going to a theater. And even though my condition( recently operated on legs for broken bones) doesn't make it easy for me to go out much, especially without someone for company, this movie "The Social Network" was so worth it!
This is one of those fast paced movies, with an intelligent script and sharp acting with witty dialogues! The casting for all the major characters was perfect. I mean, there are some dialogues that were truly funny, but not because they were meant so, it was just so incredibly timed with the perfect delivery, that it just makes you either laugh out loud, or applaud at their smartness. And being a girl i should say, the guys chosen for the roles were so incredibly cute, that the girls out there can just go in for the eye candy alone. I am so in love with the character "Eduardo Saverin", especially the guy who portrayed him. Andrew Garfield has those chocolate-boy good looks.  And i should say, i was pretty impressed with the portrayal of  "Sean Parker" by Justin Timberlake. It was really believable.
There are times in the movie when you really love a certain character, and times when you simply hate them.
This movie just makes me realize how vulnerable a person can get when he tends to trust someone wholly. Anyway you'll understand what i am saying once you watch the movie. This is a Must-watch movie; maybe not necessarily a big screen movie;you could just buy the DVD and check it out at home. But mind you, it should be the original DVD. I do not like people being pirates and downloading movies from random sites! I am totally against movie piracy!

Anyway, whether you watch the movie in a hall or at home, just make sure that you do get to watch the movie!

Easy 10min Mayonnaise

When it comes to making a yummy snack within minutes, then a mayo sandwich is the best option. Most of us tend to use the store bought mayonnaise, which i feel doesn't even come close to the yum taste of a homemade mayo.
In fact, a homemade mayo is better than a store bought mayo in many ways. First and foremost it tastes spectacular, which should be proof enough that a homemade mayo is the better option. But I'm sure you will not be satisfied with just that, so another important factor is that it costs a fraction to the price of a store bought mayo. And thirdly, most think that making mayo at home is a time taking process, but the recipe that i found in my new favourite show "Master chef - "Australia", i can make a jar full of Mayo in just about 15min. And most important of all, it doesn't contain any chemical preservatives and is made of all organic ingredients.
I'm so thank full for this recipe as i used to make mayo in the age old style, i.e., pouring in the oil drop by drop to help in emulsifying the oil n egg mixture. Anyway no more need to fret over the age old, time taking process that seems to test the patience of the best of us.Here given below is the easy-peasy quick and yummy Mayonnaise recipe.
All you need is a food processor or a mixer with a blender blade or even a hand blender. I prefer using a food processor.


Ingredients:

1 egg
2 tsp Dijon/Yellow mustard sauce
1 tbs white balsamic/synthetic vinegar or lemon juice
1 cup olive/vegetable oil
1 pinch salt
½ tsp sugar

Preparation:

 For the mayonnaise, process eggs, mustard, vinegar, salt and sugar in a small food processor until creamy.
 Add 1/4 of the oil to the egg mixture and process until slightly thicker.
 Add the remaining oil in batches until the mayonnaise is thick and creamy or until you are satisfied with the consistency.
 It can be stored in a jar in the fridge up to a month.

NOTE:
Some think that only the yolk is necessary for making mayonnaise, but adding the egg as a whole just adds to the volume and taste.
The mustard sauce and vinegar/lime juice are essential to making the mayonnaise as these are the emulsifying agents.
Initially the mixture appears to be too thin, but don't fret and just keep adding the oil as mentioned, and at the end of it, you will be sure to find a creamy thick consistency.

Just keep posted, and i will give  you some real simple sandwich recipes that can be whipped up in a jiffy in my following posts.

For now i will share with you a few recipes for dips that can be made using mayonnaise.

Tartare sauce:

To a small cup of mayo, add a teaspoon of finely chopped up gherkins and spring onions.I prefer adding a little grated cheese too for an extra zing.

This dip is best served with fried fish.

Cocktail sauce:

To a small cup of mayo, add a tablespoon of tomato sauce and 1/2 teaspoon of tobasco sauce.Mix well.

This dip is best used for making prawn cocktails

Dip for Chips:

A quarter teaspoon of pepper and paprika powder mixed with a small cup of mayo,makes for a simple dip that is best served with potato wedges.

Garlic Mayo Dip:

Just a teaspoon of grated garlic and a pinch of salt added to a small cup of mayo makes for a great dip for fried chicken.

So all i can say for now is, keep experimenting with various ingredients to make some amazing dips and be the best party host ever...enjoy!!!!!!!! 

I know my sis n her roommates love me for the jars of mayo i make for her to have at her hostel ! And i am sure they can vouch for the "Yum factor" ;-)

"Seven Pounds" - Will Smith

I have just seen a movie titled "Seven Pounds". I didn't know what the movie was about, other than that it was a Drama, but just the fact that Will Smith was starring in it was enough to make me watch it.
For those of you who do not know this fact, Will Smith used to star in a very popular sitcom called "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" which was amazingly funny. And i have to say i wouldn't have ever, even in my wildest dreams would have thought that Will Smith would turn out to become such a fine actor. Yeah, comedy was a given, i knew he would excel in it. But serious and sensitive acting? i wouldn't have pegged him down for it.
But i guess i changed my opinion about him after watching glimpses of his serious side to acting in a few of his comedy movies. Then in movies like "I Am Legend" and "Pursuit of Happyness" , his sensitive portrayal of such intense characters made me his fan, Big time!
And i strongly recommend the movie "Seven pounds" to anyone who likes a bitter-sweet ending kind of movies, or for anyone just in the mood of watching a movie that makes them realise exactly how much good there actually is in the world around you; and how much it changes the lives of people who do unto others or who found themselves on the receiving end of a good deed. So never underestimate the value of a good deed; because the joy it gives others is way more than the joy you think you could have ever experienced. And this movie makes us realize just that!
So without letting you in too much on the story line,let me just give you a vague idea of the premise of the movie.
Will Smith stars as Ben Thomas, an IRS agent with a fateful secret, who embarks on an extraordinary journey of redemption by forever changing the lives of seven strangers. Once his plan is set, nothing will be able to stop him. At least that's what he thinks. So to know what was it the prompted Ben to embark on this extraordinary journey towards transforming the lives of seven strangers forever, you have to watch Seven pounds. And i guarantee you, you will not regret it.
This movie has some stellar performances which just gets to you without being overbearing.
I am not one of those who weeps easily, but this movie truly and most rightfully deserved every tear shed.
And for those of you who is wondering why the movie is titled Seven pounds,  well ask me once you are done watching the movie, then i will let you in on it!!!