When the Mother decides to leave her kitchen for a while and travel, she weaves her story to places and local food. That's just why I thought let's start the Travel Food Blog.
The kitchen had been my laboratory for many years. Several discoveries/experiments were made by me and enjoyed by my family and friends. The heat of the kitchen would make me tired and I would feel like running away from there to live in some cooler places and enjoy new activities.
Today, was one such day.
Today the heat was unbearable. A cold shower was the only answer. I rushed out of the kitchen saying aloud to myself my favorite line " Ba Retire Thai Che".........Really ? My husband, Kallol, jocularly replied, now I know what you will say hire a cook. Since most of your friends enjoy the services of a cook. It's been 40 years I yelled back. Our daughters are married and gone. I have fed all of you every day of the year. Now now calm down. You need a glass of cold water he said. Relax, he handed me a glass of cold water. You need some entertainment. My anger was mounting, not that TV again. Ok. Will a play in an auditorium help ? You serious ? I asked. Yes he nodded. Utkarsh, our friend from Doordarshan, Mumbai, were we all worked in the initial years is one of the artistes in the play. We had just revived our contact with some old Doodarshan friends and were enjoying a few get together. Utkarsh is a great actor, a veteran on Gujarati and English stage.
The play we were going to watch is Girish Karnad's "WEDDING ALBUM", a delightful comedy about love & longing in a Shining India. The play is directed by Lillete Dubey and Cast: Utkarsh Muzumdar, Suchitra Pillai, Ira Dubey, Meher Dar, Deepika Amin, Rajev Paul & others.
Wow. But you remember my old request about the "gajra" a husband buys for his wife when they attend a Marathi play. I had always enjoyed this romantic gesture of a couple. Kallol laughed. He could never associate with 'gajra' as a love gift because he was a Bong. He however kept up the amusement by saying a) this is an English play b) you have short hair so the "gajra" is out.
The show in Bandra west and we live in Kandivali west.. The distance being about 20
kms. Tickets mention No Late Entry. Mumbai is a mad house these days with construction in full swing on the main roads for the Metro layout. We would had to leave home at 4pm to reach just in time, normally it would take an hour. Our next best option Mumbai's lifeline the grand old Indian Railways reaching you in minimum time at our destination. To be precise 45 mins for a sum of Rs. 210.00P per return ticket in Iclass. Journey was smooth and comfortable. Bandra, the suburb where I was born and lived till the date I got married, my home my playground. At Bandra station as we waited for our turn to get an auto rickshaw I saw the 'old lamp post'.......Rewind 55 years my brother and I played round and round it with our grandmother watching over us to the song 'gol gol rani, ita ita paani'. The horn of the incoming train reminding us that our Aai had arrived from work and we would rush to the platform. Kallol nudged me to get in the rickshaw and a quite station then, now turned into cacophony of peoples and vehicles. As we drove down the roads I could barely spot the places I once walked through. My thoughts were disturbed by the rickshaw driver telling me my destination had arrived when by fault he had taken us to St. Andrews Church and not St. Andrews Auditorium. In another 10 mins we crawled to the auditorium. Enjoyed the play.
The journey homewards was more hilarious. With Bandra's swanky light shops and our feeble vision, at 11 pm we could not get an auto rickshaw that could ferry us to Bandra station. So we walked and reached the bus stop. Kallol insisted I would not be able to board a bus because of my stubborn knees, but by then my heart and brain was strong and as I saw the incoming bus, with all the determination in my mind I climbed the steps and we reached the station. The train journey back home was fast.
And a hot meal Shepherd's Pie with a glass to cheer made our outing very special.
Shepherd's Pie
Ingredients:
- 500 gms mutton mince
- 250 gms potatoes.
- 3 onions finely sliced.
- 1 tsp Rosemary.
- 1/2 cup red wine.
- 2 carrots chopped.
- 1 tbsp celery chopped.
- 1/2 cup tomato puree.
- 1 tsp coarsley ground pepper.
- 1/2 cup chicken stock.
- 2 tbsp worchestershire sauce.
- 2 tbsp oil.
- 4 tbsp butter.
- 6 tbsp milk.
- 1 egg yolk.
- Salt to taste.
- In a pan heat oil add sliced onions and stir fry till it turns pink.
- Add mutton mince, salt, pepper, rosemary, carrots and celery, stir for 2mins.
- Add wine, and let it cook for a minute.
- Add stock and tomato puree and cook till the meat is tender and the liquid has dried out.
- Add worchestershire sauce and mix.
- This process should take 30 mins.
- Keep the mixture aside.
- Heat a pan add 4 tbsp butter and 6 tbsp milk, stir till the butter dissolves with the milk.
- Keep this warm, aside.
- Boil the potatoes in a pressure cooker and when hot mash them.
- Add salt, pepper, egg yolk and the warm milk, stir vigoursly.
- Take a pie dish, place the mixture.
- Now with the help of a pipping bag pipe the potato mash over the meat.
- Preheat the oven to 250 deg C.
- Bake for 10 mins or till potatoes turn a golden brown.
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