Cricket, Commentators and KP

The most awaited Ashes rivalry is back and does England look a better team or what. Pietersen has got his old touch back. Guess his antibodies act only against the Aussies. Its also good to see that India have finally, after months and months of research and consultancy and after BCCI outsourcing its brains to a some island in Fiji, finally decided that the future of the Indian cricket lies in playing against any other team other than Sri Lanka. Hope New Zealand isn't the new Sri Lanka.

With a new opponent comes new guests in the studio. Vengsarkar is actually making Amarnath, Arun Lal and even Arnold(Russel) look like Boycott, Greig and Jackman. Even 15 minutes of Vengsarkar might make you feel like blowing your brains out. When we all thought the era of bad players turned bad commentators ended with Aamir Sohail, the world got a taste of Russel Arnold who raised the bar to a totally different level. Infact the bar has gone so low that even the best limbo dancers are shying away from the challenge.

I've had my fair share of playing cricket and captaining a team as well. But its actually an understatement to see that Ponting's best day this year has been worse than my worst hungover day. The bowling attack looks the weakest it has ever been and the punter doesn't have Hayden to go and hide behind him. Guess he has also run out of bars to go and pick fights within. Surely his career is over and the only thing that can salvage his dying cause will be when he can finally set a record for getting through a test match on a single chewing gum. 

The tattooed Johnson was dropped after the selectors finally realized that he couldn't pitch anything even remotely close to the batsman's half. They should have probably realized this when he couldn't even get Ishant Sharma out who looks like someone wearing stilletoes and panty hoses while batting.

With all the mocking apart, India look great even with this 2nd choice team and McCullum needs to start playing those scoops to get back into the groove. Cook is dishing out centuries like fish and chips in a takeaway. Guess his purple patch for getting laid has started. While Pietersen looks like he can score another hundred with one hand tied behind his back, wouldn't it be great to see Warney back for an over, atleast in the commentary box?

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Do you smell what I'm cooking?

Its been almost a year since I left India and boarded a very congested and uncomfortable British Airways flight to Glasgow. The anniversary special will be covered in a different post before I make a short trip back to  ನಮ್ಮ  ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು . My bags were packed with all the wanted an unwanted kitchen utensils and all possible cooking ingredients and other powders of different colors and smells. Even today, I recognize them only by their colors and not by the actual ingredients in them.

I still remember the hype that was given to cooking before I left. I was taught and made to execute some of the basic dishes as a test and failing in it only meant that I couldn't survive here. In fact a lot of hype has been given to cooking in our culture and potential brides are supposed to have this prerequisite or a so called qualification or competency listed on their CVs when the grooms come for a one on one (Well this "one on one" is actually done with the elders' supervision with everyone anxiously waiting for the outcome and is often the one that happens on the first visit and not on the first night :D). Even though it is now getting tempting to deviate from the topic, I shall pull myself back onto the right track. 

Survival of the fittest is probably the best phrase to use and one has to learn to cook or cook up a good story not to cook, either way has to end up cooking to survive in this open world. I have seen a lot of updates on FaceBook and on the prehistoric social networking site we all used to use called as Orkut, regarding updates by wives cooking dishes for their hubbies. Even though I totally respect the love and the sweetness behind those gestures, I have now realized that cooking is probably one of the most enjoyable and easiest things to do. I wouldn't want to sound like a person blowing his own trumpet but these are some of the dishes that I have involved in over the past year.

Vegetable Sambar

Rasam

ಕಾಲು ಸಾರು

Chilli Mushroom

Mushroom curry 

Chilli Paneer

Panner Butter Masala

Veg Dopiaza

Kadai Vegetables 

Puliyogre

Raajma 

Channa Batoora/Poori

Kofta

Dosa Chutney

Lime Rice

Upma

Jeera  Rice

Capsicum Rice

Egg Fried Rice

Numerous ಪಲ್ಲ್ಯ s involving all sorts of vegetables

Palak Paneer

Aloo Palak

Veg Biriyani

Egg Biriyani

Egg Curry

Pasta

Spaghetti

Chilli Chicken

Chicken Curry

Lamb Curry

Beef Curry

Beef Olathiyathu

Butter Chicken

Kadai Chicken

Red Chicken

Hyderabadi Chicken

Pudina Chicken

Coriander Chicken

Chicken Chops

Methi Chicken

Kheema balls curry

Chicken Biriyani (2 variations)

Lamb Biriyani

Fish Fry

Butter Chicken

I might have probably missed out on some but these are the ones that spring to my mind. Even though I used to get help from Silent while cooking some of the dishes, at the end of the day I turned out to be just fine. I feel cooking is a great stress buster as well and if at all you hate someone, call them home and serve them a dish with 10 chillies and when they run to the toilet, make sure you have not only removed the toilet paper but also the flush tank doesn't work. I can guarantee you that a revenge like this will be very smelly and I advise you to keep a room freshener by your side.

People who have eaten my dishes can second me on the fact that I'm really a very good cook. Even though I have cooked all of the ones mentioned previously, I call every one of my dishes as "Yummy dish". It is not only because it is yummy but also if it is not, it will still be yummy. For all those wannabe brides or newly married girls, cooking is actually easier than "faking it" in the bed and for all those who have already tried it , well you do know what I'm talking about. For all those cooking virgins, you have no idea what you are missing out on and I sincerely suggest you to take it up even if it is just as a hobby. From Gordon Ramsay to Sanjeev Kapoor and from vah-chef to the roadside chatwalas, men have always been the best chefs and if at all you want to prove your manhood to your wifes/girlfriends/boyfriends, try cooking them a tasty aromatic dish of your choice and let me know of its outcome :).

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