Thought for the Day - Mom's Mango Tree Surprises Me Again

 Mom planted the tree in the mid 1970s. For over forty years I did not even acknowledge its presence - showing how unaware we can be. Until a few years ago, maybe five years ago, I realised that the tree usually gives off a huge crop - one summer we picked off 600 mangoes - huge and sweet pedda rasalu. Ever grateful to Mom I distributed them to many.

There is a constant demand for the fruit from my colony predators who say its the best mango tree in the colony. The people from the three houses behind ours take away all they can with their fruit picking implements. Last year our neighout into whose house a large part of the tree and the crop goes - asked if we could chop the branches off. Almost 30% of the tree went and my heart went out for it.

Vasu would come to pluck mangoes. Rajesh plucked them this year. Manga makes lovely avakai.

Abhijit just loves to sit under the tree. So do I.

This year I was not sure how many would remain but Rajesh and Lakshmi braved the sun and plucked close to 200 mangoes - huge, big, happy pedda rasalu. I distributed them to my siblings and friends. Some we kept for Manga's pickle.

I am overwhelmed by the tree and its generosity. All I can say is thank you, thank you, thank you. I feel Mom must be up there feeling happy that I have at last woken up to nature's bounty in my backyard.

And hey, Vasu showed me the sapling we had planted in his plot in Beauty Green. It has survived and grown. Mom's work is now going far and wide. 

Anjali - Books from her School Days

 While clearing up Anjali's room I made a pile of her books from school - dozens of text books and note books with many subjects, concepts, theories, exercises, problems solved, answers written, experiments conducted. As I flipped through the books I was struck with wonder at how much she had studied, learned all on her own. I do not remember any instance when she approached me for help or when I felt the need to offer her help. Save small requests to ask her questions or minor doubts in Telugu, she never asked me anything (which was perhaps good in the long run because she did a good job by herself).

I remember how I was a cause for concern for my father with my falling grades after moving to Hyderabad. I would top the class before that and somehow lost my mojo after moving - Dad would worriedly take me to tuitions, coaching classes - but you can only take a horse to water.

I did not drink. I drank only as much as I needed to.  

Book piles

Looking back i wonder how worried my father might have been in those years. And then I looked at what Anjali had done by herself.

It did amaze me though at how she went about it. I could not help but write a note to her on how impressed I was with her work ethic. Least I could do.

The text books went to Daksha school which distributes the old books to government school children and the note books and their empty pages went to the colony watchman Raju's young kids to practice their maths. 

Anchakallakokkan - Movie

 2024.

A politician is murdered in a wood unraveling a series of conspiracies and sub-plots until the culprits are brought to justice. Weird characters such as the two trigger happy sons of the politician and others make the movie interesting but on the whole a bit too action heavy.

The part of Kerala that's shown looks beautiful.

   

Missourie Breaks - Movie

 1976. Marlon Brando. Jack Nicholson.

Jack Nicholson plays Tom Logan who heads a gang of rustlers who steal horses. They cross paths with a landlord Braxton who kills one of their gang for trying to steal his cattle. The battle escalates with Braxton hiring Clayton (Marlon Brando) who is a regulator (one who fixes rustlers for a fee). Braxton's daughter falls for Tom (god knows why) while Clayton finishes off the rest of the rustler gang. But Tom kills him and Braxton - and still Braxton's daughter comes running to him asking if they have a future together. Again moral dilemmas galore - why is the thief a hero?

But Brando and Nicholson ignite the screen as the ad says.

 

The Whale - Movie

 2022. Oscar winner for best actor.

Brendon Fraser plays a frighteningly obese English teacher who teaches online classes and is grieving the death of his partner and the loss of his connection with his daughter - he left the family for his partner. Caught between his grief and guilt he devours all that's within his sight, growing to a size that makes it difficult to walk, stand. How he tries to salvage his relationship with his daughter through his pain and ill health is what the story is about. 

Fraser is brilliant and its no wonder he won the Oscar for his performance.

   

Gone Baby Gone -Movie

 2007. Ben Affleck's directorial debut. Oscar nominee.

Two private investigators are hired to help find an abducted young girl and uncover a web of drug traffickers, kidnappers, double crossers, paedophiles and murderers - finally ending in a moral dilemma that breaks up many relationships.

 

It's All in the Mix - Michaeline Singh

For someone who started to figure out how to peel onions at 26, Michaeline Jennifer Ann aka Mickey aka Mix, has come a long way. Her debut book 'It's All in the Mix' is a delightful, easy-to-read, easy-to-hold-and-implement book; one you can keep in the kitchen to help you discover and expand your culinary talents.

The 175 page book is a nice size which makes it convenient to hold, has nice pics and a font size that is comfortable on the eye. Its glossy finish gives it longevity which also indicates that the author is in the business for good - she means business.

Divided into seven sections - Breakfast, Snack and Starters, Dals, Rice Dishes, Vegetarian dishes, Non-vegetarian dishes and Desserts, 'It's All In The Mix' dishes out 72 mouthwatering recipes which look great to eat and easy to try. There are tips given at the end of each recipe to take care of the small issues that one might encounter in the process of cooking that particular dish.

Here's the menu on display then.

Breakfast - Bread Upma, Cheese Omelette Bake, Egg and Cheese Bruschetta, Egg Rolls, Garlic Bread with Cheese and Oregano, Grilled Chicken Mince Tikka Sandwich, Omelette Stuffed Cheese Toasties, Pull Apart Bun, Semolina Appe and Semolina Upma.

Snacks and Starters - Aloo Poha Cutlets, Butter Murukkus, Chapli Kabab, Chicken Mince Croquettes, Chilli Cheese Toast, Maggi Noodle Cutlets, Moon Dal Cutlets, Pan-Friend Meatballs, Potato and Paneer Patties, Rice Tikkis

Dals - Channa Dal, Dal Maash, Moong Dal, Palak ki Dal, Panchmel Dal

Rice Dishes - Curd Rice, Kheema Pulao, Lime Rice, Onion Fried Jeera Rice, Peanut and Capsicum Fried Rice, Peas Pulao, Sausage and Egg Friend Rice, Tomato Rice

Vegetarian Dishes - Aloo Dum, Aloo Gobi Capsicum Sabji, Aloo Stuffed Capsicum Rings, Aloo Tamatar ka Saag, Arvi Masala, Bhendi do Pyaaza, Boiled Egg Curry, Chigur ki Bhaji, Dil Wale Aloo, Lobia, Mooli ki Sabji, Pala Dill Sabji, Palak Paneer, Paneer Tikka Masla and Paneer Methi Chaman

Non-vegetarian Dishes - Afghani Murg, Badami Murg, Butter Chicken, Chicken Korma, Chicken Peshawari, Garlic Flavored Mutton, Kadai Mutton, Lal Maas, Chicken Rogan Josh, Patiala Chicken, Pudina Chicken, Spicy Chicken Curry, Tomato Kheema, Zafrani Mutton

Desserts - Apple Halwa, Badam Halwa, Gajar ki Halwa, Khajur ki Kheer, Vermicelli Bites, Mishti Doi, Mango Phirni, Cake Pops, Badam Coconut Laddoos

Mickey gives a bit of her history, the way she grew up in a large family and how she was pampered as the youngest and did not really have to learn to cook until she went to Dubai, where she found her soulmate Satish (who loves his food) and discovered her love for cooking at about the same time. It is a testament to their love that she has grown to be  great cook and has produced this wonderful book - showing what love can do to improve the craft, to deepen relationships. Their young sons Nikhil and Rahul are also good cooks apparently. Satish has been a great support to her through the tedious and frustrating process of getting a book published. 

As a non-cook - my range extends to tea, omelette, rice - I was impressed by the fact that this book somehow made me look at cook books differently. After flipping a few pages I chanced upon Mickey's Bread Upma and felt like I could try it out - and perhaps a few more. This is a huge change for someone who found all other cook books very complex. I think that feeling itself is a good validation that Mickey has got something right in this book. It has the potential to interest beginners and amateurs apart from seasoned cooks.

Its not easy to write and publish a cook book - pictures, details etc. But Mickey pulled it off from a concept stage eight months ago to actually launching it last week. Wishing Mickey and the book all the success and nice things they so deserve.