COOKING WITH SHAIL – A LAWYER’S KITCHEN BY SHAIL THOSANI

 

The cover image is that of a pair of scales, with a ladle and a whisk, maybe hinting at how vital correct measurements are to the perfect rendering of a dish. Shail Thosani is a lawyer by profession, but she confesses that cooking is her passion, and her greatest stressbuster. She further goes on to say that her recipes in this book are varied, each of a different taste and style, and can be made using simple, homemade ingredients, always an attractive option for both the culinary-minded and the novice chefs.

A cookbook is as appealing as its photographs. The author has used her own photographs, each of which look vibrant and appetising. The dishes are in alphabetical order, beginning with Bread Vada. A short description of the dish is followed by its recipe and the method of preparation in simple words.

Broccoli has always been looked upon as an exotic vegetable, used mainly in Continental cuisine. The next two dishes are Broccoli Masala and Broccoli Parathas, both of which are intrinsically Indian dishes. The author gives little tips which make it easier for people to follow her recipes to the tee.

Sandwiches are known for their versatility. The following recipe is a Curd and Paneer Sandwich which can be made in multiple ways. Here, the author presents it in a cold and a toasted form, using hung curd which is a healthy option.

Gone are the days when dhoklas could only be made with besan. This book offers a Multigrain Dhokla along with a tasty Tomato Chutney. Judging by the accompanying picture, this appears to be a delicious dish.

Masala Uttapam and Masala Bhakri are next on the menu, followed later in the book by Masala Dosa and Stuffed Idli. These are all breakfast options but that does not mean that they can not be savoured at other meals as well. The recipes are simple to follow, but detailed, and hence, a boon to chefs who love to experiment.

Starter recipes are always eagerly sought after, and the author has provided two of them – Potato Fingers and Quinoa Pattice. Of course, no meal can be complete without paneer or cottage cheese. The Paneer Cheese Sabji looks rich and delicious, and is followed by Paneer Lajawab and Vegetable Pulao, both of which will definitely taste ‘lajawab’, given the ingredients and the presentation.

Finally, what good meal can end without the requisite dessert dishes? Chocolate Fudge Ice Cream, Fruit and Cream Dessert or Rava Mango cake – take your pick!

Once again, Shail Thosani has come out with a cookbook worth savouring (pun intended!) I reiterate, the pictures she has clicked make the experience even better.

 #BlogchatterEBook #Blogchatter #cookbook #recipes #passion #stressbuster

 If you want to download Shail Thosani's free eBook, here is the link:

https://www.theblogchatter.com/download/cooking-with-shail-by-shail-parekh-thosani

A POTPOURRI OF DRABBLE BY HARSHITA NANDA

 Harshita Nanda’s 100-word stories have been highly popular on social media, the reason being her prowess in creating tiny stories that leave an impact on the readers’ minds. Her debut novella ‘Xanadu’ also found warm acceptance from many, and maybe spurred her on to write ‘A Potpourri of Drabble – A Collection of 100 Word Stories’.

At first glance, the cover entices with its simplicity – blue blossoms on a white background. The 100 100-word stories were created and written for the Momspresso platform. It was for the first time that I had heard the word ‘Drabble’ for 100-word stories.

The eBook is a veritable montage of themes, each story making the reader ponder. It is no easy task to contain an idea within a 100 words and Harshita Nanda is a past master at the art. Her stories soar from the sublime – love, happiness, achievement and empowerment, and swoop down to the abyss that shelters themes like envy, betrayal and violence.

The stories begin with the lament of a housewife in ‘Is This My Destiny?’ and this is carried on in ‘Oh! Where Did Those Days Go?’ However, one of the most prominent emotions that the author brings out is the love of a mother for her offspring, and vice versa, in such poignant stories like ‘My Ma’, ‘A Mother’s Exhaustion’, ‘The First Love’, ‘The Birthday Party’ and ‘A Piece of My Heart’. Is there any love that can surpass that of a mother’s?

Love is a many splendoured thing, as the old song went. Harshita Nanda plays with this age-old emotion in many of her stories, writing simple lines that yet, seem so familiar.

“In that half-hour, the word seemed to recede, its constant cacophony falling silent, as they fell deeper in love with one another.” ‘A Simple Love Story’

‘The Red Flower’ and ‘Her Song’ break the heart with their tenderness, as do ‘Over a Cup of Espresso’ and ‘Waiting in the Wings’.

‘When Love Ends’ reveals the sad finality with “the scratch of the pen on the divorce papers”, which is offset by the beautiful ‘I Am Here for You’ which underlines continuing love even after death.

Harshita Nanda’s stories deal more with the positive than otherwise. She talks of the universality of kindness in poems like ‘Teacher Didi’s Steel Dabba’ and ‘The Red Nail Polish’ and moves on to the even more universal concept of ‘The Hidden Power’ (Humanity) and ‘Humanity Always Wins’.

Resilience also plays a major part in the stories. Achievements always shine brighter after adversity and this is the beautiful message that illustrates many of the pieces like ‘Change of Plans’, ‘Reward for Resilience’, ‘The Christmas Pig’ and ‘Mrs. Sharma’s Kitchen’.

Covid Tales bring the reader back to the present. The author sounds a warning note at a few tales that may trigger emotions of unease such as the ‘The Never-Ending Nightmare’, ‘His Soft Touch’, ‘Her Good Luck’ and ‘Spirit’.

As a thriller writer, I have left the stories that jolted me to the last. Well crafted, their twists churn the insides of the reader. For example, ‘I Never Knew’, ‘The Enchanted Rose’, ‘The Last Glance’ and ‘The Missing Jewellery’ are suspenseful, but ‘The Banyan Tree’, ‘The Ring’, ‘A Twist of Fate’ and ‘The Kitten’ draw a shiver down the spine.

While I enjoyed all the pieces for their brevity and their punchlines, two stood out. One was the poem, ‘Far Away from Home’ and the other ‘The Big Loss’ which said so much with so few words.

Take a bow, Harshita! Your book sparkles, both in its uniqueness and in its variety!

#BlogchatterEBook #Blogchatter #Drabble #Potpourri #Stories #Themes #Variety 

If you would like to download the free Ebook by Harshita Nanda, here is the link:

https://www.theblogchatter.com/download/a-potpourri-of-drabble-by-harshita-nanda

ACHING HEARTS - A WOMAN’S STORY BY PRASANNA RAGHAVAN

The profile of a beautiful young woman against a background of blue and orange, almost akin to the changing colours of the sky – this is the cover image of Prasanna Raghavan’s book titled ‘Aching Hearts – a Woman’s Story’. With just four simple chapters, the book traverses the lives of two women and two men. The book is short, twenty-four pages and four chapters, but it tells a story that is truly relatable.

Malu, the protagonist, is a young girl who lives with her parents and her brother. She forays into Facebook where she sees the link of a gruesome car accident which unsettles her. The story revolves around the dynamics of a dysfunctional family, where the men rule the roost and deprive the womenfolk of all privileges and freedom.

The relationship between Malu and her mother is also rocky. All the latter wants is to get her daughter married. The mother is like “a caged bird fearing an approaching danger” and she is terrified of her husband, a teacher with no compassion towards his family.

A mishap causes the father to be hospitalised, driving a wedge between the women and the son of the house. The only bright spark in Malu’s life is the presence of the gorgeous Rupesh. Her mother’s description of her dream revolving around a car accident akin to the link Malu saw on Facebook is almost like a premonition.

How does Malu handle a difficult situation at home? Is marriage on the cards? Can Malu and her mother free themselves from the shackles of the past? The story ends with certain firm decisions being taken, making this a tale of hope and redemption.

Prasanna Raghavan’s protagonist, Malu, lives the kind of life millions of women live in the world today. The reader is left with the sense that women across the world go through much in life, and it takes a truly brave woman to emerge from her fetters like a phoenix.

 #BlogchatterEBook #Blogchatter #tribulations #hope #achinghearts #awomansstory

If you would like to download the eBook, the link is as follows:

https://www.theblogchatter.com/download/aching-hearts-by-prasannakumary-raghavan

 

 

HAPPY ENDINGS BY SUCHITA AGARWAL

 

The blurb says it all… the protagonists have nothing in common except a tragedy that leads to a happy ending. Suchita Agarwal writes about five people who went through their own hell and found the light at the end of the tunnel. The story titles are the same as the names of their main protagonists.

 Sameera, a cancer patient, and a fan of Grey’s Anatomy is grateful at having a doctor like Dr. Punit Khera who was “smart, funny and competent but most importantly, does not hide from telling her what her next three months potentially looked like”. Her parents are her “rocks in chaos”. For Sameera, the survivor, looks at her ordeal with different eyes. This is a story told with great positivity by a gifted writer.

Mayank has his own demons within, as he is stuck in a rut even as his friends move on in life. His frustrations over his job, the lack of love, and even the décor in his apartment with its red sofa and stark white walls drive him almost to the point of suicide. The irony is that Mayank is not unhappy, which isn’t the same thing as being happy. The story reveals how different people react differently to the sight of the sea. Some project their feelings onto it, others fear it. Yet others, like Mayank, feel a sense of emptiness at the sight of the sea, the sunset and the beauty of nature. Will he be able to move on and in the process of doing so, heal himself?

The third story is easily one of my favourites. Avantika is a librarian who had fled from a big city, driven home to her grandmother by a panic attack. The library was a magical place full of secrets and mysteries. “It was a sanctuary. It was a place to learn. It was a place to hide. It was a place to pause and take a breath.” Lines that are so relatable to people who love to read!  Avantika is a 24-year-old agony aunt who loves helping people, and when the dapper Raj, a good friend of her dadi’s, comes into her life, wounded and confused, it is as if both their problems run on similar lines. Even as they both “oscillate between euphoria and despair”, they realise what it is that has complicated their lives and strive to live meaningful lives.

Urmilla is a tale of two sisters, one a popular Bollywood heroine, Renuka, and the other Urmilla, who had grown up together without being close. The two have been estranged for nine months. Suddenly, the scenario shifts when Renu dies of a heart attack, and Urmilla sets out to fulfil her last wish, despite opposition from her own husband, Avinash. What is the reason for the estrangement, what does Urmilla discover about her sister, and how do all the passions surging within her get assuaged? Another fascinating story with complex emotions!

The last story takes a psychological turn, with Pranjal, the unlikely hero, sword and all, who daydreams his way through life, slaying dragons and rescuing hapless maidens. His parents constantly worry about how easily he slips into his make-believe word, and it is Dr. Mahesh, a psychologist, who patiently listens to the boy, dredging out memories that are buried deep within his psyche.

Thus, all five stories hint at turmoil and trauma in varying degrees as people set out to grasp at happiness that seems elusive. However, the title of the book ‘Happy Endings’ sends out the comforting message that demons can be slain, and happiness attained at a cost. The cover image resembles the marble bust of King Alexander the Great, the top of which is covered with a sunflower and a leaf, and maybe a depiction of a vivid imagination that plays such a significant role in the lives of people. The kind of imagination which the talented writer of this ebook, Suchita Agarwal, most certainly possesses.

 #BlogchatterEBook #Blogchatter #ShortStories #HappyEndings #turmoil 

Do download the ebook by Suchita Agarwal from the link below:

https://www.theblogchatter.com/download/happy-endings-by-suchita-agarwal

HUMPTY DUMPTY’S TEN HATS BY TOMICHAN MATHEIKAL

 

The cover image leaps out in all its vibrancy, even as the reader tries to decipher the meaning of the unusual title – Humpty Dumpty’s Ten Hats. The dedication by the author, Tomichan Matheikal, evinces a smile.

“Dedicated to

All the politicians in today’s India

who convince me every day

that fiction is truer than facts.”

The ten stories that follow are intriguing for different reasons. The first story ‘A Ride with a Ghost’ ends with the interesting remark by one of the characters named Varghese.

“Your mind can create ghosts and gods and anything.”

The same idea is carried on in ‘Death Road to Sounds of Eternity’ when the author decides to visit Kurseong, the most haunted hill station in India, and traverse the beautiful yet eerie Dow Hill, where “day or night, paranormal activities never cease here”. The story ends with a shiver down the spine. Beyond that, my lips are sealed.

The author’s penchant for satire comes out in ‘The Ghost of a Banyan Tree’ when he talks about a Hindu Brahmin who holds strong views on people from other religions. This vein is reiterated in the next story titled ‘Phantoms on a Desert’, where two unlikely people encounter each other, a Malayali man and an Afghani woman. Likewise, ‘Masculine Virility’ is a play on the theme of godmen who rise from rags to riches. One of the most amusing stories is ‘Thief’ where “morality is comparative”, a lesson learnt from “political leaders who always justified their beastly deeds by comparing them with what someone else did in the past.” As a result, the beleaguered Sivaraman had to undergo the pangs of lost love and ignominy. The author puts it aptly, “After all he lived in a country where history repeatedly rose from its grave with bloodlust like a restless vampire.”

Good writers can evoke memories with a stroke of their pens. That is exactly what happens in the story ‘Save Your Penis’ where past mistakes are repeated with impunity throwing the country off balance, a story inspired from a real-life incident narrated by KS Komireddi in his book ‘Malevolent Republic’. There are hard-hitting moments in some of the stories like ‘Ishwar Allah Tero Naam’ where a priest berates a low-caste woman whose nine-year-old daughter has been murdered in the cremation ground, and lookers-on watch with indifference as through it were a scene in a drama.

One of the stories that is chilling is titled ‘Child’ as the author weaves a web of events that have engulfed our country in the present day. Right from love jihad and honour killings to Covid-19 and the nationwide exodus of migrants, to the Galwan river in Ladakh which “smelt of chicanery though no one was sure if the chicanery was saffron or red in colour”, and the PM’s monthly homilies, the story slips across all these issues seamlessly, ending in an agonising twist.

The book ends with the title story ‘Humpty Dumpty’s Hats’ and reads almost like a fable where characters from books come alive – a case of Alice wandering aimlessly in the Wonderland and coming across a disconsolate Humpty Dumpty. The idea of orange and green hats worn in a scenario when people talk through their hats while the common man tries to find the right way makes this the perfect story to end the book.

Tomichan Matheikal’s book. ‘Humpty Dumpty’s Ten Hats’ is one of the most downloaded books in the #BlogchatterEBook Carnival. Having read his stories, it is not difficult to imagine why!

 #BlogchatterEBook #BookReview #ShortStories #Irony 

Do download Tomichan Matheikal's ebook here:

https://www.theblogchatter.com/download/humpty-dumptys-10-hats-by-tomichan-matheikal

CULINARY AND CULTURE OF TAMIL NADU BY S. ANURADHA

 

The cover image is vibrant, showing different aspects of the southern state of Tamil Nadu, from its delicacies to festivals and places of interest. S. Anuradha’s eBook titled ‘Culinary and Culture of Tamil Nadu’ reveals the most popular dishes associated with festivals in Tamil Nadu.

The author’s note points out why food is so intrinsic to the celebration of any festival.

“Any festival or celebration is void without food. The food served on such occasion make a relishing impact on the taste buds and they last for ever. Festivals are celebrated to bring in togetherness among people and the habit of sharing with others is introduced in our lives through festivals. Every festival strengthens the bondage and brings in hope.”

What is heart-warming is the manner in which the author has paired each festival with the apt dish that goes with it. Every chapter begins with the lore or story behind the dish, the reason why it is so significant and in certain cases, the rituals associated with its preparation and the presentation. For example, the first chapter is titled ‘Chakkara Pongal in Margazhi’, Margazhi being an auspicious month for poojas, sacrifices and fasting in Tamil Nadu.

Every chapter ends with the recipe of the dish in simple language, making it a sweet treat for the reader.

Chapter 2 deals with ‘Marundhu on Deepavali’. As is the case across India, Deepavali is the festival of lights and after the customary rituals, the dish which is more like a medicine to aid digestion and create a good appetite is offered to the family members. One must remember that Deepavali is also a festival of sweets and delicacies, and this dish could help to prepare the stomach for a heavy onslaught of food ahead.

The book has eight chapters in all. Chapter 3 describes Arudra Kali on Arundra Darishanam, a festival which falls in the Margazhi month which is famous in Chennai for the Music Festival. Arudra Darishanam is the special day to offer puja to Lord Nataraja, the god of music and dance, and the prasad offered to the devotees is known as Arudra Kali. Thyagaraja Aaradhana comes soon after in January when music lovers gather on the banks of the river Kaveri to sing the five best known kritis of Sri Thyagaraja. At the end of the festival, Ashoka Halwa is savoured by all the participants.

Raptha Sapthami is celebrated in all the temples in South India. It is the day dedicated to the Sun God. The author gives a list of all the shrines and temples of the Sun God in South India and also narrates the historic significance of this particular day. Wheat Kheer is the bhog or offering to the devotees on the occasion.

We have all heard of Akshaya Tritiya, the day when it is considered auspicious to buy gold, a day of religious significance. It is a day for shopping. Legend goes back to the Mahabharata when the Sun God gifted Yudhishthira the magical Akshaya Patra. The puja, prayers and shopping end with the offering of a sweet dish called Ksheerannam, the prasadam to Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Kubera.

All the above dishes are sweet, but there are two more which are savoury as well. The first is Pulihodhara on Maha Siva Ratri, when the devotees fast during the day and stay awake all night. The author describes the major offerings to Lord Siva, and the Siva temples which represent the elements. Pulihodhara, which is a variation of tamarind rice, is a delicacy which is enjoyed by devotees who wait in long queues to taste it.

New Year’s Day or Chitthirai Vishu is a grand celebration in Tamil Nadu. On this day, Mango Pachadi is made with raw mangoes and is a delicious combination of all the six tastes – sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent and hot, proving that life is made up of all these.

Thus, when one comes to the end of this book, there are many interesting takeaways, nuggets of information and of course, the recipes that are simple and mouth-watering. That is what makes this book for all seasons, pun intended!  

 #BlogchatterEBook #Bookreview #TamilNadu #Food #Culture #Festivals

 The book can be downloaded on the following link:

file:///C:/Users/deept/OneDrive/Desktop/Blogchatter%20Ebooks%202022/1654917542_AnuradhaCulinaryandCultureofTamilNadu.pdf

 

Two Readomania Singles by Rituparna Ghosh - The Boy with a Guitar and The Boy with a Secret

 

Dev Bhowmik is a born musician, the boy with a guitar, who gets an offer in life that he cannot refuse. The dreams he had when he began life have dissipated, leaving him with disillusion. Until he meets Clownessa who leaves him with a warm feeling in his heart, and a strangeness that somehow seems familiar! “She reminded me of the simple joys of life. She melted the ice round my heart.”

Rituparna Ghosh is an ace romance writer, but she does create a sense of intrigue as her characters have secrets too deep to be divulged. Why does Emani, Roomani’s sister, shy away from celebrating her own birthday?

Why do Roomani and her fiancé, Nirman, have a strained relationship?

Can Dev, the drifter, outrun his past if he strode ahead fast enough? What is the huge secret that hounds him, tethering him to a past that threatens to catch up with him at any moment?

This novella, which is part of the ‘Readomania singles’ can be read in a single sitting. Not once does the interest flag, as the characters sashay across the stage, even as their lives mesh in intriguing ways.

Definitely a story to be read and savoured!

Readomania singles are the flavour of the times – short, racy and easily savoured in a single sitting. Rituparna Ghosh’s ‘The Boy with a Secret’ is no exception. In nine short chapters, the story unfolds in the words of Nirav Kamat, the protagonist, the adopted son of the Kamats who had set up home in Goa. The young boy was brought home as “a three-month-old quiet child with beautiful eyes”. Soon after, as is often the case, little Saanvi was born, a whirlwind born to rule over her adoring family.

When Nirav goes back to Goa, he is accosted by many memories that have eaten away at him over the years. Whether it is encountering the handsome, yet rugged, Ray, his childhood friend, his telephonic chats with his exuberant friend Dev, his conversations with his Amma and Anna or the diaries which reveal many truths, the rapid twists and turns keep the reader rivetted to the story.

What is the secret that defines Nirav? How can he overcome the guilt that lies buried within his heart?

‘The Boy with a Secret’ is the sequel to the previous novella titled ‘The Boy with a Guitar’ in which the earlier-mentioned Dev is the hero.

The length of a novella hardly allows the author the leeway for any suspense, and yet, Rituparna Ghosh does pull out a rabbit or two, in the telling of this engaging tale. The best compliment to her is that once the book is opened, it is next to impossible to put it down till the last page.