Poha for breakfast

I never used to like Poha (Cheng-paak in Meiteilon), it reminds me so much of the TISS, DH evening snacks. They used to make it so horribly, I don’t knw how the cooks at TISS, DH  prepare food....everything tasted the same which in short was “BAD”. I don't know how we survived those 2 yrs.

Coming back to Poha, one fine morning out of the blue I decided to make Poha for breakfast and as usual with few of my own additions. I was not surprised when it turned out so yummy that since then I normally have Poha for breakfast on most Sundays. Making Poha is easy the only issue is with chopping the veggies... its time consuming... so I normally have it on Sundays or holidays only.

Poha

Ingredients:

• 1 Onion, chopped.
• 4-5 Green chilies, slit and chopped
• 1 Potato finely made into small cubes.
• 1 cup fried/roasted peanuts
• Few Curry leaves
• 2 tbsp Oil
• Turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
• 2 Cups of good quality Poha (Socked for few mins and the water drained )


Method
•On a non stick pan add 2 tbsp oil. Heat it for 2 mins.
•Add the chopped onion and fry for 3-5 or till it turns golden brown.
•Add the small cubed potatoes, green chilies, tomato and fry for 8-10 mins on low flame or till the potato’s are cooked.
•On a separate pan, fry the curry leaves and add the fried curry leaves  in the pan after the potatos are cooked.
•Add turmeric powder, roasted peanuts, salt and mix it well, fry for another 5 mins.
•Add the socked poha and mix it with the fried ingredients.


Serve hot with a Tea or coffee.
Cooking Time: 25 MinsServes: 3-4 

Fasting?????? Nah Feasting

The only additional alphabet in “Feasting” when compared to “Fasting” is “E” but the “E” can make hell lot of difference; I am talking in terms of calories. Since I love to cook n eat so much I normally cheat on my diet plan every Sunday and make something really good, last Sunday I made myself the best meal of the month. What was the best meal??? Well what could be better than a typical Meitei Sunday Lunch, “Ooti Thongba (Hawai Mangan ga Ousoi ga Ooti), Pulao/Khichidi and Morok Metpa” lethal combination to make any Meitei foodie go weak on the knee.

I tried my best to prepare the food as healthy as possible using less oil, adding potol, brinjal, chana & moong sprouts in the pulao, the result was a super yummy Pulao. Ooti can never be cooked in a healthy way the only thing I did was I put less cooking soda, Ooti is very heavy for the stomach in Manipur we have Ooti with Lafuu(Banana Steam) Eromba, the fibrous Lafuu helps in the digestion but I was dying to have morok metpa (Typical Meitei Chile Chutney) so I made this really good morok metpa with fresh green chillies, Ngari and fried fish. I am always happy when I eat a heavy and yummy meal without any regret :)

Interesting Salad

Trying to lose the extra weight (in my case it's accumulated over a period of 5 years) requires dedication, self control and sabse jaruri hai guts. Technically it's my first month on my attempt to lose alot of weight and I have realized that I have very little self control when it comes to good food, when I pass the area of fast food stalls on my way back from office I feel they are all calling me...you knw how it was with the girl in the film "Confessions of a Shopaholic"...it's exactly like that. I literally have to calm myself down and tell myself that "CHILL LADY...THAT FOOD IS NOT FOR YOU" urghhhh me and food...janam,janam ka rishta hai.

The thing about eating "HEALTHY" is that...all "HEALTHY" food are the most boring in this world so I decided to take the take the boringness out of my "HEALTHY" food and make it interesting. I made myself a very yummy sprouts and rajma salad for dinner, I remember having it last year at Golconda Resorts-Hyderabad but my salad was a lil different, the main ingredients:

a) 1 Cup boiled rajma and kabuli chana.
b) 1 Cup chana and whole moong dal sprout.
c) 1 Tomato chopped.
d) 1 onion thinly chopped.
e) 1 medium size cucumber finely chopped.
f) Chaat masala
g) Salt to taste
h) Olive oil (optional)

I mixed all the ingredients and added some chaat masala on top. It tastes real good and it's super light on stomach. One may lighty fry the Chana and moong dal sprouts if you don't like the raw taste of sprouts.

On diet and diet food

I don't remember the last time I bought myself an "S" size t-shirt...for the past 5 years or since the time I started looking like winner of "Miss I am FAT Contest" I have been buying "L" or "XL" size cloths for myself. My mother gets a heart attack everytime I go home and demand to have all the good food...Ooti Thongba, Nga thongba, Chicken, Soibum Iromba, Singju, bora, Keli channa and the list goes on..its my mother who loses her cool and she thinks half of her gray hair is because of me... which of course is not true(mumma I knw you are not reading this so I can write watever I want lol).

About 4 yrs back I gained alot of weight and that gave my mom and everyone I knew a shock...so I decided to lose some weight and after serious dieting n some bit of exercise I lost 9 kgs in 2 months....but that was 4 yrs back and I am again back to being a potential candidate for "Miss I am FAT contest". I enjoy cooking and eating so much that whenever I see good food I just forget that I am fat and the worst is I don't even feel guilty of eating...oops over eating.

Now after enjoying all kinds of food at famous and not so famous places in the country I have decided to stop over eating and go on diet for two months. I realized "not eating" requires alot of disciple and dedication, to avoid the temptation and to say "NO" to food needs alot of guts...atleast for me. I feel funny writing about "NOT EATING" on my food and travel blog but I also know that if I do not control now, I will have to regret later. I am trying my best to eat healthy these days and I hope I will lose some weight with "THE KIND OF FOOD" m having. Its painful to avoid all the good food but lemme try once more and lose 9 kgs.

On Pav Bhaji, Wada Pav n Mirchi Bhajji

Wada Pav the Indian Answer to Burger is one of the best street food most Maharastrians love to eat and for that matter anyone in Maharastra will swear on Wada Pav, Pav Bhaji and Mirchi Bhajji. I happen to enjoy all three on the same day at Joshi Wada Center in Pune, its pocket friendly and very filling. I couldn't resist having another Wada Pav and ended up eating two full Wada Pav with loads of mirchi. I am sure no one in this world can beat the Indian Street Food and I have enjoyed street food in most metros in India.

Sun n Sand

Goa happens to be "THE PLACE" in India to visit. I always wanted to go to Goa esp. after watching "Dil Chahta Hai", DCH really glorified Goa as " THE MOST HAPPENING PLACE" in India and a place to chill, enjoy and all fun things. DCH was released when I was in college and even with all my desire to go to Goa it never happened. Even when I was in Mumbai for two years it never happened but finally this time I went to Goa and fulfilled my old wish...this was not the best of time to visit Goa but who cares, it was an all expenses paid trip and I stayed at "Taj Exotica", the best thing about Taj Exotica was its private beach, I normally do not like to visit very crowded beaches and the Taj Exotica beach was almost empty, it was much better than the Leela Kovalam beach and we had option of adventure sports.

The first day itself I tried Para sailing and it was awesome, I had to pay 1000 bucks for that but it was worth every single rupee. I didn't tried the water scooter...I was too scared to drive as I do not knw swimming, I guess I shd learn swimming if I have to come to Goa next time. I really enjoyed my stay at Goa despite the hectic whole day business review meeting we had time to enjoy and I rediscovered my cycling skills. After a long time I got to wear shorts...outside my room, I bought myself this this really nice and super expensive shorts from Lifestyle-Pune to wear and Goa and I was more than happy that I bought it.

After visiting Goa I must admit..Goa rocks and its a must visit again.