18 FOOD
B on V ivant
24 Feb–1 Mar 2012
Joi Bangla
BOOK
The Body You Love { Alka Gurha }
H
{ Aalok Wadhwa }
I
owe my friend one; the one who told me about this new Bengali restaurant at Hong Kong Bazaar on Gold Souk Road – way past Ardee City. Lokenath restaurant is a humblelooking eatery; but, as I am soon to find out, with many gastronomic surprises. I am welcomed at the door by owner-and-chef Goutam Nayak. In the true adda tradition, we get talking, and soon he is recounting his fascinating life’s tale. He started with a job at the very bottom of the culinary food chain, at the Oberoi Grand in Kolkata. He soon endeared himself to the Bengali chefs, who taught him how to cook. From there, to owning an eatery-cum-lodge in Paharganj, to this restaurant, has been a long and arduous journey – one that he is quite proud of. It is this pride that animates him as he discusses the food: he handpicks his fish, sources all the masalas personally, uses only Kolkata mustard oil, and keeps his recipes true to tradition. Convinced, I ask Goutam to give me a meal of his choosing, of authentic Bangla raanna (cooking). I start with the quintessential Kolkata snack, the fish chop (Rs. 130). This one is made without potatoes. What it has is fresh bhetki fish, chopped to chunky perfection. As I sink my knife into it, I can see the fresh juices oozing out; and every bite leads to a flaky-fresh taste sensation in the mouth. This is a good dish indeed. Next in line are the vegetarian dishes. The ghughni (Rs. 40), made of chickpeas, is perfectly spiced. Aloo phool kophi
Lokenath Restaurant 1st Floor, Hong Kong Bazar, Sector 57, Sushant Lok 2, Gurgaon Phone: 0124 4220435, 0124 4220436 Cuisine: Bengali Timing: 11am – 11pm (Rs. 70) has crunchy fried cauliflower and potatoes, cooked beautifully with traditional spices. Moog dal (Rs. 50) is comforting and wholesome, as it should be. The main course starts off with katla posto (Rs. 105) and bhaath (rice). The combination of ground poppy seeds and cashews gives the curry a well- rounded character; and the fresh and large cuts of katla fish make it a fulfilling experience. Kosha mangsho (Rs. 200) that follows is a meaty delight. The Kolkata chicken biryani with raita (Rs. 100) is authentic, and a value for money dish. A true Bengali meal has to have the perfect sweet dish – from a wide choice. I order the kacha golla (Rs. 15), made with nolen gur. This type of jaggery is difficult to source, because it is made from a quality of sap that can only be collected from date trees in the foggy, cold season. That is what gives it a unique sweetness. Chef Goutam buys it at the source. The result, with its earthy undertones, melts in my mouth. Everything about Lokenath restaurant is authentic and realistic – including the prices. Here is an eatery I will be going back to often. u
CINEMA
Lost In Translation { Vijaya Kumar }
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year back, I had seen a Tamil movie, Vinnaithandi Varuvaya, and had fallen in love with it. The title conveyed a beautiful and lyrical expression of love literally translated as: Will you cross the skies for me? The story was simple, the narration straight forward; and the twist in the tail provided freshness to a fairly ordinary tale. A.R Rahman’s compositions, Gautam Vasudev Menon’s sensitive direction, the scenic locales of Kerala, and the portrayals by Silambarasan and Trisha, contributed to the movie being a success. It therefore was a big disappointment for me to sit through the purported Hindi remake, Ekk Deewana Tha, where virtually everything contributes to its lacklustre feel. The first half of the movie is still watchable, and the director could have done well to terminate the movie at the interval! Gautam Menon has a history of making good movies in Tamil, which when remade in Hindi, turn out to be disasters. His Minnale was remade as the sloppy Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein; and the racy Kaka Kaka was remade as the lacking force, Force (although this was not directed by him). Ekk Deewana Tha successful completes the trilogy! Prateek Babbar’s character isn’t very real; his dialogue delivery is awful. I wonder why the British model Amy Jackson
Ekk Deewana Tha Directed by: Gautam Menon CAST: Prateek Babbar, Amy Jackson GENRE: Romance was called in to play the female lead; she is plain boring, and her voice dubbing is another disaster. The Tamil original had captured the beautiful nuances of the girl falling in love with the boy, over a period of time. All that comes across in Ekk Deewana Tha is a display of infatuation. To compound the misery, the beautiful ending has been tweaked, to supposedly make the ending a happy one. A.R Rahman’s compositions are fairly forgettable. u
ave you noticed a strange paradox? The two biggest sellers in any bookstore are the cookbooks and the diet-books! After Rujuta Diwakar’s book ‘Don’t Lose your Mind, Lose your Weight’ became a best seller, a slew of ‘weight loss’ books by celebrities have flooded the book shelves. Recently Kallie Purie’s weight loss memoir ‘Confessions of a Serial Dieter’ was also launched, with much fan fare. As is evident from the sales, losing weight is a top priority for most urban women. However, the question to be asked is: How many readers actually lost weight after reading these books? And more importantly, how many readers were able to maintain their ideal weight? Now, actress and model Yaana Gupta has donned the writer’s hat, and has come out with a book on fitness tips, health and wellness. Her new book ‘How to Love Your Body and Get the Body You Love’, is the story of her life. Yaana’s book is a reminder of her victory over the demons in her head, that had created myths about her body image. The book reveals that Yaana has been suffering from chronic eating disorder, despite being a fitness freak. The book elucidates how
How To Love Your Body And Get The Body You Love Author: Yaana Gupta PUBLISHER: Penguin PRICE: Rs. 199 GENRE: Non-Fiction/ Self Help she evolved a unique approach to health and wellness. After trying several diets and fitness regimes, Yaana chronicles a stepby-step health regimen for a healthy body. “I was being repeatedly asked by various friends to give them fitness tips on how to lose weight. One day it just came to me that I should write it all down as a book, as I was anyway already writing bits and pieces, and emailing it to friends,” she says. The book imparts several practical tips. There are interesting snippets on how to cook a healthy meal. “I use the steaming method to cook, and carry food with me all the time – even on flights,” says Yaana. Yaana’s book does not offer any path breaking tips. However, the book encourages women to feel healthy, and to appreciate themselves for how they look. u
Table Manners For Kids { Sarita Sharda }
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very parent wants to launch their children into the world with the skills they need to succeed. Having good table manners gives children the confidence to participate in any dining situation with ease. Table manners are taught as soon as your child understands what you’re saying. However, children will need coaching and reminders on table manners throughout their childhood. It’s best to give positive reinforcement; that is, when your child does something right, let them know. And when your child does something wrong, do not be negative about it – but gently tell them how it is best done, and why. Whether in a restaurant or in a home, here are some basic table manners to teach kids: Wash or sanitize your hands before sitting down at the table. Sit down on a proper seat, and put a napkin in your lap. As needed, use it to gently wipe or dab your mouth. Do not wipe your face or blow your nose with a napkin; both are gross. To do those things, excuse yourself from the table, and go the restroom. Do not begin eating until everyone is seated, and has been served. Many families wait until an adult gives ‘permission’, to start eating. Stay seated – without wiggling in your chairs, going under the table, or getting up and down. Say, “Excuse Me,” and ask permission, to leave the table. Eat with a fork or spoon, unless the food is meant to be eaten with fingers. When eating bread or rolls, break off a piece of bread before buttering it. Eating a whole piece of bread looks tacky. Eat slowly, don’t gobble up the food. You are using a fork /spoon, not a shovel. Take your time, and enjoy your food. Elbows do not belong on the table. Mouths should stay closed while chewing; and pieces should be bite-sized. “May I please” should be used when you would like to have more food; never
reach across the table yourself. Proper etiquette for passing ,is to pass the food counterclockwise. Participate in the conversation during dinner; and do not interrupt when other people are talking. Slurping, burping, squealing, singing, humming are all sounds that should not be made at the table. Do not make negative comments about what is being served for dinner. Remember, someone took the time, energy, and expense to prepare the food. Express your appreciation. Put your used plate at the right place. Before getting up, at the end of the meal, say, “May I please be excused?” Thank the cook and attendant. When eating at someone’s home, or if you are someone’s guest at a restaurant, always thank the host – and tell them how much you enjoyed it. At least say that you liked the dinner, or mention a specific item that was particularly tasty, e.g. the dessert was great. Preparing children for adulthood starts the moment the baby is placed in the arms of the mother. Teaching children to use good table manners is a wonderful gift that will serve them well throughout their entire lives. Parents will be proud that their children are using the good manners that they have taught them; and more importantly, children will be polished and refined – and capable of being comfortable in any dining situation. u (Certified Image Consultant)