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The mystery and oppressiveness of the Soviet rule has disintegrated to reveal a friendly and modern city

As I was about to enter the historic Red Square in Moscow with hundreds of others, I saw Stalin - not exactly, but an impersonaror who appears to me almost like the Soviet dictator as seen in photographs. Dressed i n a milir.a r y uniform embellished with red straps, the man with a perfect moustache, back-brushed hair and carrying a smoking pipe, waved at the crowd While 1 captured h im on camera, a few young Russians standing aroLtnd giggl ed but an eldedy lady came forward and asked me in poor English, why am I taking p ictures of a killer?

This small incident imrnediarely m ade me a\vare of rwo messages - that today's generation doesn't care about the past, but the older ones can't fo rget Stalin's atrocious rule from 1924 till his death in 1953, when over a million people were executed and 1S million more were sent co rem ote camps where death came from hard labour and starvation. However what struck me as most amazing is the people's freedom of speech, which was very restricted in the past. Locals were happy a n d keen to tal k a bout anything from the revolution and policies, to literature and food, though language is still a b ig barrie r However, in almost every conversation, a fondness for India came through as they referred to names such Nehru, Raj Kapoor and Mithun Chakravartil

The Red Land has profoundly changed since the dissolution of the former Soviet Union in 1991, a n d its effects can be exp licitly seen in the capital Moscow, which appears no different in character and lifestyle to an y other Westerninfluenced metropolis W i th the traditional red flag rep laced by a blue, red and white one, the emerging wealthy elite called 'New Russians' have vastly improved the standard of Moscow living, m aking it one of the most expens ive cities in the world. Our omniscient tour manager Anna from Insight Vacations informs us that after Perestrnika, car ownership quadrupled in the city and today the streets are clogged with vehi cles, many of which are the top brands of the industry l ike Mercedes, B:MW and Lexus The city is now peppered with flashy restaurants, cafes, discos and nightclubs whe re vodka flows like water, and glittering shops that sell nothing but high fashion from famous design ers.

The cit)' was heavil y dented by severe bombing during World War II; however in 1997, much of Moscow was renovated back to its o.ciginal past grandeur, as a part of its 950'1 anniversary program. This included reb uilding several churches which were des troyed d uring the Soviet e:ra. Religion, which was practiced underground during the Soviet era, has regained its prominence with churches again being used for weddings, baptisms and other religious ceremonies

From her 12' 1, century origins as a murky defensive outpost, Moscow at it zeni th governed almost one sbah of the planet's surface and present;; a sto ry of rising and falling, laced with g lory and setbacks. Having endured imperialism, wars, revo lution s, communism and drastic social changes, tl1e metropolis today is a Lm iq ue blend of the past and present that captivates and charms. Visito r s are often surp.cised by the wealth and varie ty of its architectural marvels - fo rts, palaces, cathedrals, monuments - spread throughout the city, and th e magnitude of art housed in its several museums.

I read i n a guidebook that there are over 100 p laces of interest in Moscow But while exploring the city, there are countless and it is impossible to savour, even the main ones, in a single vis it. Sol ve ntured to view the icons which are regarded as almost mandator y - Red Sq uare and the Kremlin.

Derived from the Russian word Kramry meaning 'red and beautiful', the 500111 long paved square started as a m arketplace and becan1e a familiar location since tl1e Soviet era, when it was used as the \7 enue for government addresses and military parades.

Adding Aavour to its name, red - coloured buildings like the Hisrorical M u seum and tbe Resurrection Gates Aank tbe square. However, the highlights of this domain are tl1e 16'1, century built Sr Basi l Catl1edral wi th its twisted onion domes, Lenin's Mausoleum where the former leader's body is preserved and the GUM departmental store that is cel ebrated as one of the world 's lar gest shopping are nas Also unique i s the Kremlin which has re m ai ned a sy mbol o f power of t he State si nc e it was b uilt in the 12 " cenmry as a woode n fo ru:ess (kre711/ in Russian, m eaning 'fortress'), at th e conAuence o f two rivers Moskva a nd Negliru1ya. The Kremlin is also th e confluence of several periods of R uss ian history. I t began its humb le jo urne y when b uilt to kee p the Mon gul in vaders away; next , ir bec ame the citadel of the T sars; even later, i t was the head q uarters of powerful Soviet Unio n; and it now exists as di e administrative seat of die Ru ss ian Federation and the resi de nce of President Vlad imi r Pu tin. Relics from me p ast are visib le at every corner. Th e expans ive complex, with jus t h alf ope n to public NATIONAL EDITION viewing, houses several p alaces and cathedrals, an ensemble mat depicts sta tel y g randness

I visi ted the famous Cathedral of An nunciation and C athedral o f Ass ump tio n , two of d1e m ost important churches in Russia, wand ered inside the Great K remlin P a lace, browsed through the royal artifacts in the State Armoury Museum, an d watched an evening balJ et performance at the State Kremlin Palace, a nice alterna tive venue to the prestigious Bolshevik Th eatre w h ere tickets are extraorclinatily expensive and h ave to be booked monrh s in advance

Following a pa th along the red brick walls that surround d1e Kremlin, I witn essed the Chan ge o f Guards ceremony at no on, a nd walked past graves of many Sovi ets including the ruthless Stalin and astronam Yu ti Gagarin, the first man to orbit space.

T a..'i:..is are exp e n sive in Moscow, but tra nsportation b y the metro railway is c heap and very rewarding for arr love rs, a s rhe concourse and platforms of some underground statio n s resemble miniature mu seum s, with mosaic art\vork o n walls and ceilings, s culpmres ornamen ting spaces, and grand chandeliers il.luminati.ng t he works on disp la y.

As t he fo rmer Soviet U nion w as always circled by a sen se of m ystery, I en ter ed Moscow w ith an eerie feeling whi ch soo n vanis hed as I was e ngulfed in a friendly environment, offering me ch e sp ace and ti m e co e nj oy mis historic c ity in safety and co m fo rt. l'v[y trip co the Red Land ended on a h appy n o te

Travel Notebook Moscow

GETTING THERE

Singapore Airlines (wwwsingaporeair.com) fiies daily from Austra lia to Moscow, with an aircraft change i n Singapore.

TOUR OPERATOR

Insight Vacations' (www.insightvaccations.com/au) escorted tours to Russia incl ud ing Moscow, offer convenience value for money and extensiYe gu ided sight'i'!'ing. Th isincludes acmmmodat ion at lux ury hotels like riverfron t Crown Plaza (www.crowneplaza.com) at the World Trade Centre

VISA Austra lian passport ho lders wi II requirea visa to enter Russia. Checkwww.australia.mid.ru/ b r details.

It's

W:~:i~::1d eve r ything w ith scant regard for the damage the food we eat cm~lcl do to our ski n from wi th in So while you slap o n mo ismriser and have yom reg ula r facials, it is impo r tanr to eat right so thar you look younger fo r lon ger.

I remember see ing a photograph on Fac ebook of Nigella L awso n and another lady who had e limina red all dairy products fro m her diet. Whil e Nigella looked, well, her usual gorgeous self, the other lady loo ked like s h e was in her 60s, despite the copy below sta ring thar they we re of t he same age! So unless you are a die h ard vegan or, like this lad y, have re m oved all dairy products from yom diet, it is best to ear the right kinds of far and eliminate foods tliat are high in sugar.

Healthy fats

There is much to be said in favour o f eating heal thy fat as it is viral to our skin's yo utl1 fu.l app 1,arance. '11 moderation, bu tter and g hee a re also good fo r you, as m o n ounsaturnted fats are whar p r eve nt your skin from premarure wr ink.lin g Olive oil, nu ts and avocados are good sources of monmmsaturated fats. ln fact, you can mash a ripe avo cado and apply it to yonr fac e for 15 m inu tes, it is a namral moisturiser and its oils acts as emollients for rhe skin So n ext ti.m e yo u are tempted to h ave a pastry, maybe you should g ive in to yonr temptation.

Eat sal mon and other fis h t ha t are rich in omega 3 which also help retain youn ger looking skin. For vegetaria ns, Aax seed is a good source o f omega 3

Sugar facts

\\Th ile sugar in excess is b ad fo r all of us, ir also hastens the

More veggies please

Yes, yo u wo uld have heard chis b efore, b Llt it's tm e - die more vegetables you ea r, di e better i t is for your ski n. While the starchy mbers must be had i n moderation, every o d1ei: vegetable is good for you Ca r ro t s, beans, mrnip s, spi na ch, fe nugreek, pnmpk.in, cabbage, gourds, among oche rs, aU help iu nourishing yonr skin wit h di e vitamins and minerals they coma.i n Of course, try not earing too many of t hem in a fried state, as the excess oil wi.l.l cause breakours on yonr face.

Protein protection

Proteins are vita l for retaining the skin's h ea.lthy cone They are important for every function o f our body as bui lding blocks. Beans, ch icken, cereals and dais are heal di y sources of protein.

Make it spicy

''In moderation, butter and ghee are also good for you, as monounsaturated fats are what prevent your skin from premature wrinkling ageing process, the main reason b ei n g co llage n fibres can lose their elasticity if your body has too much sugar. This is a pro cess known a s glycation, w hich o ccurs due to pro lo nged exposure to sugar and glucose Instead o f regular sugar, use hon ey as a sweete ner, bur artificial sweere n ers are a strict no-n o. Eat m o r e fru it that are not coo sugar heavy. Oranges, kiwifrui t and dark be r ries are rich iu a u tioxidants. You can even apply fruit to your fac e - an overrip e banana or papaya make excellent face packs.

Th e re is much co be said abour the benefits of spices in improvin g the quality of our skin. T he curcumin in turmeric is a potent an tioxidan t, while garlic, rosemary and cinnamon, amon g o d1er s, are all good aid s to hea.lchy skin They coma.in substances ,vhich work as detox agen ts and i n some c ases, help in weight reduction too Turmer ic can even be m ixed wi th cream and applied o n th e face for removing a tan and rno ismrising di e skin.

Minimal carbs

Th e whole mul tigrain, whole grain trend has everyo ne believing that grai ns are good for you,

The curcumin in turmeric is a potent antioxidant, while garlic, rosemary and cinnamon, among others, are all good aids to healthy skin bur eventua ll y, the search and carbohydrate in grains gee converted to sugar a nd make the skin age faster. So while you have to eat bread, rotis, pasta and rice, make sure yo u eat them in m oderation and concentrate more on salads and fresh vegetables

Renowned chefs from 'God's own country' serve up modern variants of age- old traditions

A~:~:i~n;e~ 0 1:ore and more popul ar, n on-1\,fallu s are learning chat there is more to it than merely id/is and rlosas A n d fish moi/ee a n d :tvfalabai prawn curq.

If you 're a food ie or if yo u've travelled to the state that's called 'God 's own corn1tr y' , you 've probably hea rd of Kerala's appams and p11tt11.r, pathiris and tfpperis, and stews a nd bi1yanis. And you're aware that ove r and above that ever-present coconut (in the form of o.il, or milk, or graced vegetabl e, or garnish, or some or all of t hese together!), t he other essentials in thi s cuisin e are curry leaves, mustard seeds, tamarind and asafoetida. O h, and you can boast to your friends chat tb e clistinct sourness in dis h es from Kerala comes fro m k11rlam!J11li, not kok11111which is really Konkani / Marathi - surely you knew that! No t content w ith having 'edu cated' the re st o f Inclia abput their real cuisine, some of the sta te's m ost renowned chefs are now sprucing u p their centurieso ld traditions, presenting an a.tra y of d ishes to internatio n al tourists descencling on their s tate in droves. E lan govan Shanmugam of Kovalam and Mi chael Saju of Kocb.i for instance, bave experim e n ted successfuJly with variations of the tradition al , co make their c uisin e so much m ore intern atio nal.

Elangovan's particulai passion is to appl y e lements of European cuisine, in which he trained, co everyday fare. While does it in bis cooking technique, Mic ha e l Sa.ju does it wi th great Aa.ir in his styl e of presenration.

Elangovan has been a T aj c hef for over ten years, having served in the iconic hotel chain's man y properties not only in India, but also in Ma laysia Currently he i s at Vivanta by Taj at the l mru rious Kovalam Resort. The resort's swanky restaura n t ' Bait', known a s the state's best s eafood restaurant, serves up some of Elangovan's man y novelties, such as fi sh firebaked on s labs of wood.

"Yes, slabs of wood ," E langovan tells Indian Link. "Mango wood, to be p rec ise! A gentle mango Aavour infu ses into the fish as ic cooks You serve it smoking hot, on the slab. The a.im .is co introduce a fa.int mango

2 gms g inge r and garlic paste

I gm turmeric powder

I Ogms tamarind puJp or juice of o ne lime

S rnl coconut oil

I slab mango wood

:Mix together red chilli powder, ginger and garlic paste, turmeric powder and tamarind pulp or lime juice. Add iu grated on.ion and coconm oil ro make marinade for the fish

Keep fish maiioated iu th.is for about l S minutes

G r iU the fish briefly on a bot skillet, bod1 sides

Elangovan Shanmugam's Wood Fire-Baked Fish

300 gms red snap p er filler

IO gms red chilli powder

Salt to tasre

I small onion, grated

1 sprig curty leaf

Place the fish on the mango wood slab then bake in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes

Serve smoking hot, garnished with a sprig of curry leaves aroma as you present it before d1e guest Not too overpowering, bur just a whiff of it". l t makes for p icturesque presentation, d1e smo ky wood and hint of mango bringing in an exotic and earthy appeal.

For accompaniments, cry roast baby potatoes and char-grilled vegetables.

(fn much the s,1me sryle , another Kera.la chef Nibu James of the eco -resort Greenwoods in The ka ddy, prepares a var iation of the famed Parsi d.ish Patrani 111achchi, iu which fi s h is barbecued in banan a leaves. Living a nd working in the d istrict which is called Kera.la's 'spice basket', c ibu replaces the banana lea f with the long leaves of the carda m om bush. The aro m a is unmistakable).

Elangovan also likes to cookand serve - meat o n s tone s labs. "A thick stone slab is heated to 600 degrees some three h ours in advance," be explains " Tbe marinated meat i s first sealed on a pan and then p laced on the slab ins ide the oven. It is served on the sto n e slab, bu t of course the g u ests are warned tha t the slab is pi p ing b ot!"

The slab meals are served wi th p otatoes a.ad vegetables in continental style.

Ela ngovan's othe r i nnovati ons a t Taj Kovalam include some magnificent breakfasts Passionate about changing food habits in India g iven the increase in diabetes, he bas deve loped an en tire range of low Gl b reakfast foods Along with your traditional Indian an d weste rn fare, you can tr y bi s low GI lndian: who lewheat 11pma, cornmeal 11pma, mgi dostJ, red rice rlosa, green l!l0011g dosa, barley pongaL l ow; how health y i s that!

Meanwhil e at Kochi , Mic hael

Saju of Holiday Inn fame i s creating b.is ow n modernisms. Stationed in lndore in India 's n orth early in bis career, n ot only did th is Malayalee learn to speak Hindi, he also began to p lay with north -south fus ion in cuisine.

Southern- flavoured ch icken , coo ked in the f.tmdoor, why not?I

"I loved it!" i\liich ae l tells 1nditm Ll11k "I worked and rewor ked it to perfection, and then began to expe riment with internation al fusion Chicken wi th olives, cooked in the tandooil Potato s11hzi wi th peanut butter. Hot and cold combi n ations. The possibilities were e ndless!"

Soon be was trying fusio n in desserts: paa11-Aavoured desserts such as paa;1 paonacotta, andg11/ab ja/mousse.

Some of his creations are now regul ars at his Holiday lnn brunc h buffet, so popular with Kochi locals that it is alm ost becoming an i.nstimtio n.

T bese culinary masterpieces are all immaculately presented. "Presentation i s vital to m y d ishes", l\.fich ael reveals. " I want you to fall in love wid1 the food before you eat it!"

Pl a ting up bas n ever b ig .in In clian cuisine, largely because d iners sen'"e themselves, and also because pre- plated food is seen as an 'i n sult' But it is catching on, as our lifestyles change gradually to reAect a growi n g internationalisation. Adopting techniques of presentation g leaned from h.is training , ntiichael firml y believes tl1ac food ought to b e a feast for t!1e eyes just as much for the mouth and n ose His sign ature d.is h (fried fish wid1 potatoes and green mango sauce), the rec ipe of wb.ich is presented h ere, is distinctly Kerala.n in Aavour, but i s presented in contemporary style, bu.ilt up on the place architecturally in tl1e 'ver tical ' fashion tl1ac is in vogue these days Michael i s a figure ha.id co miss at Ho liday Inn. As h e bustles aroun d in b.is busy at this new five- star hotel, be won't hes itate to scop and chat if you call out to b.im with a question about the food.

"Can't yo u tell by looking at me tl1at I love food?" he says w i d1 a sm.ile.

Michael Saju's Fried Fish with Masala Potatoes and Green Mango Sauce

Forjish

600 gms fish fillets (red snapper or any firm Aeshed white fish, skin on)

30 gms Kashrni.r.i red chilli powder

2 eggs

5 gms curry leaves, chopped

10 gms rice flour

5 ml vinegar

Salt to taste

Oil for frying

Nlix 1:ice Aour, eggs, curry leaves, vinegar, salt and red chilli powder into a fine paste Marinate fish in this for half an hour Cook on a hot barbecue or skillet till skin is crispy.

.Forpotatoes

20 gms mustard seeds

30 ml coconut oil

30 gms garlic (peeled and s liced)

10 gms ginger (peeled and chopped)

100 gms shallots (peeled and sliced)

10 gms green chilli (slit whole)

20 gms curry leaves

15 gms turmeric powder

15 gms fresh coriander

Salt to taste

20 gms clarifi ed butter

Peel boiled poracoes and mash with hand. Heat oil in a pan and add curry leaves, mustard seeds, s liced onions, mrmeric powder and salt. Scir till onions start to lose col our but are still crunchy, a few minutes only. Add potat0es and mix wel l. Add clarified butter and fresh coriander.

Forgreen 1110ngo sauce

50 gms green mango (peeled and grated)

20 gms mustard seeds

30 ml coconm oil

.30 gms gatlic (peeled and sliced)

10 gms ginger (pee led and chopped)

100 grns s haUots (peeled and sliced)

10 gms green chilli (s lit whole)

20 gms curry leaves

15 gms mrmer ic powder

15 gms fresh coriander

Sall to taste

50 gms coconut milk

Hear coconut oil in a pan and add curry l eaves and mustard seeds. \Xlhen seeds pop, add in sliced onions and scir briefly. Then add ginger, garlic and green chilli, and turmeric powder and salt. Stir ro combine and then introduce green mango and fresb coriander. Cook for some time, rhen add coconut milk. Al.low to thicken.

To serve

A.rtange the potatoes on plate in a neat circular mound. Place fish on cop, one or two fillets depending on size. Drizz le mango sauce over. P lace some vegetable batons oo top as garnish if desired, and some tender greens or coriander. Use some sauce m decorate plate

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