Monday, January 19, 2009

January Weeks

So along with crazy amounts of work these last few weeks have included one flu/fever (ugh) where Anju (my flat mate) came to the rescue by making sure I ate, slept and stayed warm in the chilly Delhi nights and tons of other stuff, here is some of it:
These weeks have included my first forays into Indian cooking, I helped Anju make subjzi (vegetables), some curry and parathas. And... I made my first dish on my own, Chana Masala (chick peas and curry sauce). It actually turned out well. I brought it to Futurebrands for lunch, where everyone eats together in large groups and shares all the dishes and food they brought (not usually the rotis and rice they bring) but the dal or subzi they made that day. In this way, everyone gets some dal and vegetables to eat, and gets to try different things. So that day, for lunch, everyone liked it and said it was well spiced and well cooked and tasted like it was not the first time I had ever used a pressure cooker. This was exciting, because pressure cookers are just a bit scary.
In other news, it was my birthday on Jan 18th and I celebrated in Delhi style with an evening to bring in my birthday at the bar Buzz and then at the ever-hip club Tabla Rasa, thanks to Sumi, who got us in for free where there happened to be a free and open bar! Needless to say we of course all ordered the most expensive drink on any bar’s menu in Delhi… wine!
On Sunday itself I had a wonderful lunch with friends at The Big Chill (no- not the movie) an Italian restaurant in Delhi, I ate like an American and ordered pasta with meat balls (chicken ones- no beef in Delhi). After that, my friend and Futurebrands colleague Arati and I went to Chandini Chowk to China and actually enjoyed it despite bad reviews and some crazy ketch/mellow drama going on. As a visual anthropologist, all I can say is: move over Euro-America, Asia is taking over. (Here instead of the usually trip to Australia, Europe, the US or Canada, the movie moves the action literally from Delhi to China- weather either country wants to admits it, they need each other as much as they are rivals). Although the rest of the movie needs you to suspend all logic!
By the way- Mumbai here I come on February 7th.

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