Mysorepak- Not bad for a Sweet Novice

 

When you don't feel like doing anything and are bored of your work, it is best to distract yourself with something that you do not typically do. I do some of my best creative work when I am irritated and at the end of my tether. It is worrying and good at the same time- worrying because it makes me concerned about my  mental make up and good because I at least know how I can shake myself out of a funk quickly and without annoying too many people around me.

So yesterday was one of those days, where everything seemed tasteless and boring. With Diwali around the corner, I decided that the best way to cheer myself up was with some sweet making. This is only the third time ever that I have attempted making any sort of sweet. My first trial was kaju katli with ground cashew paste, it was an unqualified disaster with half cooked cashew paste and oodles of ghee, resembling some sort of halwa. It was a lesson well learnt though and I tried again with powdered cashew, I ended up with very good looking katlis though I chose to slice them super thin (Almost like cracker thin).

Mysorepak was on the cards yesterday owing to readily available ingredients. I made a very small quantity as I only wanted to cheer myself up not worsen my mood with all the slaving over the hot stove. But it came out surprisingly well, causing even a sweet skeptic like me to go back for more.

What you need on your kitchen counter:

Makes 10-12 pieces

1. Besan (Gram) Flour- 1/4 cup

2. Ghee- 1/2 cup

3. Sugar- 1/2 cup

How to make mysorepak ( Takes a lot less effort than you think, especially if you choose to be lazy like me and make very very little):

1. Line a tray/plate with foil. I used a pie tin for this. We will use this to pour and set the mixture.

2. In a heavy bottomed pan, place the sugar and just enough water to submerge the sugar. Place on low heat and allow to come to a steady boil.

3. On the side, start melting the half cup of ghee. Once melted place on low heat, so you can ladle the hot ghee into your mysorepak.

4. Sift the besan flour to avoid lumps and fry it for a couple of minutes with a couple of tsp of ghee.

5. Once the sugar has dissolved and starts to thicken into syrup, test the syrup between your fingers. You should wait for the syrup to form a string between your fingers (an unbroken string- this is the single strand consistency).

6. Once the sugar syrup reaches this consistency, add the besan flour to the syrup, stirring continuously and breaking up any lumps that might occur.

7. After the besan is completely dissolved in the syrup, start ladling in the ghee little by little, continuously stirring the ghee into the mixture. All this must be done at a low flame and do not stop stirring at any point.

8. Finally once the ghee has all been added, the mixture will start to come away from the sides of the pan, it will still be soft but will start to sort of bubble and have air pockets within.

9. Take it off the heat and pour into the prepared pan.

10. Allow it to cool for a couple of minutes and then slice into it with smooth strokes to avoid breaking up the pieces.

It was therapeutic to write this down considering I am trying to sound like a Mysorepak Maven, the very first time I made it. :P

Try to keep and consume until Diwali, else you could always make another batch if you decide to give in to temptation.

Of Reading and Book Shopping

I finally made a trip to my old haunt, Blossoms after a long long time and stocked up on some books. Not as many as I generally buy. I come home usually laden with two bagfuls of books. This time I exercised plenty of restraint and ended up with just 5 books- Flappers and Philosophers, Bring Up the Bodies, The Ladies Paradise, The Girl on the Train and The Invention of Wings.

I am done with reading The Girl on the Train and The Invention of Wings. In fact I went through Girl on the Train in a single night, rattling through it like a high speed train myself. The book is very reminiscent of Gone Girl. I ran through that book as well in a single flight and I definitely liked the book better than the movie.  So coming back to Girl on the Train, interestingly this book has had its movie rights bought as well. It definitely has excellent potential for a great screenplay. Bordering on the obsessive, it traverses the thin line between imagination and reality. It's almost like the 4:50 to Paddington in the sense that a fleeting glance from a train window leads to unraveling a  tangled and complicated mystery. No relationship is straightforward nor goes in the direction you expect. All the characters and naturally and quite annoyingly human and fallible. There are no heroes or heroines, just people dealing with their lives in their own twisted fashions.

The Invention of Wings is an inspiration. I loved this book even more than her previous book, the Secret Life of Bees. I have to thank Hollywood because the movie brought me to Sue Monk Kidd. The Invention of Wings is a moving part fic- part bio story of the Grimke sisters and their struggle for racial equality. The story has a very St. Assisi feel to it, two poor little rich girls rising above their feelings, their familial attachments and personal dilemmas to get on to a global stage in the face of rising criticism and overwhelming opposition. It's written in a he said she said style, one of my favourites and it grips you with the unique ideas and the revolutionary thought processes of these women for the times they lived in.

A to Z Challenge: Undercover

Links to Previous Parts:
Rising
Soliloquy
Trip

Riya stepped into the cool air conditioned cafe after finding a secure parking space for her car. A million questions were buzzing through her mind. Why had he diverted her so close to their destination. Why had he insisted on coming into this cafe? What was he trying to do? Was he some kind of detective? She walked upto the table that he had acquired for them. He held out a menu to her and said "Order." "I'll just have a black coffee please", Riya said bending over the menu wondering if she could afford lunch at this place. She did go out on weekends, but she tried to keep away from the fancier spots.

"Smile," he demanded. "Really", she hissed in an undertone. " Now you will issue orders to me?" "Well it's not funny business. Isn't that what you asked me for? This is important. It's a matter of life and death." "Then tell me what it's about? Maybe I can help." "But it 's a confidential matter. Something I am investigating as a matter of fact. You cannot help me. Nobody can." "Just try me." "No, this is where we will wait. Until I can think of what I must do next."

He stepped away to go to the washroom, she assumed. She opened her purse and drew out her phone. There were three missed calls. She dialed hoping to get the conversation over with before he came back. She should tell them that this was interfering with her day job. She couldn't afford it anymore. They would have to do better on her payments if they wanted her to continue. But she found herself at the end of a 5 minute phone call, the recipient of a photograph and a contract the result of not being able to say no.

A to Z Challenge: Trip

Links to Previous Parts:
Rising
Soliloquy

Riya drove slowly past the new Starbucks that had opened on the Link Road. "Does this work?" she said, slightly tilting her head towards the back of the car. He gave an almost imperceptible nod of the head. She drew up alongside the kerb and pressed the End Trip button. Her wallet refreshed and she unlocked his door to allow him to disembark. 

"You are coming with me," he exclaimed. " What about my trips? I have to make my required number," Riya retorted angrily. " How about I pay you for the whole day?" He shot back. " What's the catch?" She said narrowing her eyes at him. This wasn't the first time she had had to fend off the unwanted attentions of a customer. But he did not seem to be that sort of chap.

"There is no catch," he sighed. " If you want, we can get this cup of coffee. Then you can drive me around all you want! There is somewhere I have to be. That is also somewhere I don't want to be. I am willing to make it worth your while." "Ok, I will try it for an hour, but I am warning you .. No funny business."

A to Z Challenge: Soliloquy

Rising

A man got into her cab at the airport. Riya was already disgruntled, this guy didn't bother stowing his suitcase in the open trunk. She has had to get out of her idling car and set it to rights, all the while hoping that the airport cop did not give her a ticket. She opened the separating door with more than  usual force and asked the customer in a clipped tone, "Where would you like to go today?" Nick jerked out of his reverie as if slapped and said, "Powai". "Why do I get all the weird ones?", thought Riya to herself as she banged the opening shut again." In my cab and life, both."

Nick was trying to call her. She wasn't picking up. But then she never did pick up when he dialed her at this time. He hadn't asked her what she was up to.  He wasn't sure if he wanted to know. What he did not know could not hurt him.  But with every inch that he was getting closer to discovering the truth. Why was he doing this to himself? Trying to surprise her, startle her almost into a confession, by landing up at her door unannounced. This wasn't how he envisioned it all coming to an end.

"Let's not go to Powai", he boomed suddenly. "Stop at the next coffee shop you see." Riya started. She wondered what was with him. She felt like she was suddenly stuck in a parallel universe where she was in a spy movie or something. She stole a glance carefully in the rear view mirror. He was still stuck deep in thought, his eyebrows were furrowed and he was frowning at his phone. She did not where this day was taking her and she wasn't sure she liked it very much.