Recipe of the month: Millet Bisibele Bhath

Hello Hello!

Yes I am very much alive and kicking. Given that we had a huge life event take place just a few months ago, I had to prioritize my to-do list and devote all my time to the more pressing demands of our new life. Now that I have finally started feeling less out of my depth, I felt it was time to revive my blog out of the self-induced coma that it was in. 

I think that it is rather premature for me to talk about the transition of moving back to India from abroad. I am aware that many NRIs (Non Resident Indians for the uninitiated) follow my posts and will be curious to know about my opinions and experiences. I feel like my perspective will have more credibility after at least a year of living in India. I will definitely talk about it when the time comes and you can count on me to be sincere and unfiltered 😊 

That said, I'm peppering this post with some images taken post-relocation. Also, you can follow me on Instagram (@meinblogland) for snippets of our daily life in India. 

My blog was born in 2010 (13 years ago) and living in Singapore at the time plus having traveled the world a fair bit by then, I was eager to experiment with global cuisines of the world. If you have been following my blog, you will know that I did that along with a fair share of Western-style sweet and savoury baking over the years. But now that I am living in India and back to my roots, culture and everything familiar and comforting, one of the things I really want to do is get better acquainted with the regional cuisine of my homeland. 

For most foreigners, Indian food is little more than mango lassi, samosa, curry, dal, naan, biryani and chai. It seems amusing to those of us who are privy to the country's mind-boggling culinary offerings. India is home to over 1.4 billion people, 120 languages, 9 major faiths, 28 states and 8 union territories each containing their own unique landscape, climate, customs and traditions. There is unimaginable culinary diversity and cooking styles throughout the subcontinent along with heavy influences from thousands of years of immigration, trade and conquest.  

I'm sure there are enough regional specialities to keep me occupied for the rest of my blogging lifespan but for my first post after relocation, it seems fitting that I pick a dish from my beloved native state KARNATAKA. 

Bisi bele bhath (Kannada: ಬಿಸಿ ಬೇಳೆ ಭಾತು) or bisi bele huliyanna (ಬಿಸಿಬೇಳೆಹುಳಿಯನ್ನ) literally translates to "hot lentil boiled rice". It is a spicy, rice-based dish that as I mentioned above, originated in the state of Karnataka, in South India. It is said to have first appeared in the Mysore Palace and it took 100 years for the dish to come out from the place and another 200 years to spread across the state of Karnataka.

The traditional preparation of this dish is quite elaborate and involves the use of spicy masala, toor dal, rice, ghee and vegetables. The masala is a mixture of coriander seeds, chana dal, urad dal, cumin, methi, sesame, poppy seeds, black pepper, cinnamon, dried red chilli, curry leaves, dry coconut, turmeric and hing among others. It is either freshly prepared in households or can be purchased off the shelf at Indian grocery stores. The unique taste comes from a delightful balance of salty, sweet, spicy and sour. Good bisibele bhath will have the tantalizing aroma of ghee and the unmistakable taste of aromatic spices, red chillies, tamarind and jaggery. Some versions of the dish are prepared with up to thirty ingredients!

Bisibele bhath is served hot and commonly eaten with savoury crunchy accompaniments like boondi, papad, or potato chips with a salad or raita on the side. This dish is commonly found in restaurants that serve Udupi cuisine. 

Having eaten this dish since childhood as a comfort food staple, I can tell you that the taste of bisibele bhath is largely dependent on the masala blend that is used. Homemade is obviously the best (and the fresher the better) but somehow I've never been motivated to make it myself. My mom and MIL make their own masala so when they have it, I get some for myself but most of the time, I use the bisibele bhath masala from a small family-run business in Bengaluru called ooTa tinDi. I store it in a glass bottle in the freezer so it stays fresh for quite long. I've not liked any of the reputed commercial brands available in the supermarket so far so it looks like I am sticking with this masala for the long haul. 

This is what a bisibele bhath lunch looks like in my household. We HAVE to have masala chips and raita as accompaniments and we love finishing off the meal with some cooling curd rice (mosranna). 

My version of bisibele bhath is a tad unconventional and I will tell you why,

1. I use millets instead of short-grain white rice because millets are more nutritious, easier to digest and give the bisibele bhath a porridge-like creamy consistency which I love. While on the subject of the grain, know that beaten rice (avalakki or poha) can be used to make bisibele bhath instead of rice and it works quite well. 

2. I use moong dal instead of toor dal because moong dal cooks faster, turns mushy, is mild in taste and lighter on the stomach. The combination of millets & moong dal means I can have a generous helping or two of bisibele bhath without feeling like I need to do lie down for a few hours after!

3. I use my Instant Pot to make the bisibele bhath. This isn't a big deal really because it is just pressure cooking done with a modern gadget. Feel free to use your trusty traditional pressure cooker. I have made a note at the end of the method section to let you know how to go about it. 

4. My family has very specific taste preferences for bisibele bhath so my version reflects that. We also prefer bisibele bhath to be a bit more on the runny side. Please refer the "Notes" section at the bottom for additional information. 

Ok folks, mom life beckons so I need to sign off now. Please try this recipe because I have tried and tested it umpteen times to get it the way my family loves it (even my somewhat fussy twins eat it without complaint). I hope it will become a family-favourite in your household too.

More later...

Goodbyes are hard 🥲🇸🇬

We always knew this day was coming. What started off as a brief stint in Singapore unbelievably stretched into 17 years. Never in my wildest dreams had I envisioned that this tiny island would serve as our home for that long but it did and now this beautiful chapter of our lives has come to an end. 

I arrived here as a fresh graduate and newlywed, carefree and naïve. I’m leaving as a postgraduate, working professional, blogger & mother of two - older, wiser and full of life-affirming experiences. 

Like most people, I was (still am) weary of change. But isn’t change the only constant in life?

Moving overseas forced me to step out of my comfort zone. I moved mountains to lay the foundation for a major career shift. Of Singapore’s top two Universities, I consider myself fortunate to call NUS my alma mater and NTU, my workplace of the past 6 years. I have had the privilege of being mentored by distinguished scientists and working with intelligent and inspiring individuals. During my time in Singapore, I’ve armed myself with new skills and developed more confidence in my capabilities. I’ve adapted, built resilience and braved all the challenges that came my way. 

We have met so many wonderful people here, both locals and expats, most of whom I’m sure will continue to be a part of our lives. As a family, we have embraced many aspects of local culture and ways of life which will go on to become a permanent and uniquely Singaporean part of our Indian identity. 

We lived in two rental homes before buying a place of our own and we have indelible memories associated with each of them. But selling and eventually leaving our beloved nest of 12 years, the one we painstakingly did up, welcomed our babies into, forged so many precious memories, cooked countless meals and so lovingly looked after (and which looked after us in return!) has been expectedly hard 😢

My blog was born in Singapore and is in many ways, a love letter to the island. The safety, cleanliness and facilities in Singapore are unparalleled. With innumerable indoor play areas, sprawling green parks, leisurely bike routes, museums, restaurants and world-class attractions, there is so much to see and do. The learning infrastructure, pedagogy, sports resources, and public libraries are top notch as well. And having the option of affordable full-time domestic help so you don’t have to be a superhuman juggling it all is a luxury many developed countries simply don’t have. Neither my husband nor I had to sacrifice our careers or rely on our parents for childcare. Our children have had an unforgettable childhood here and I’m so grateful for it all 🙏🏻

Hand on heart, I can honestly say that we have made the absolute most of our Singapore experience.

That said, I don’t believe that happiness should be tied to any particular place or person. Happiness comes from within and with the right attitude, anyone can be happy anywhere. Family has always been hugely important to us. The pandemic made us re-evaluate our priorities and contributed to one of the many reasons we felt the time was right to head back to what matters the most and where we will always come first 🇮🇳 

But now that I’m leaving Singapore, I realize just how much I’ll miss (almost) everything about it. Years down the line when I’m still posting Singapore throwbacks and you ask me, “After all this time?”, my answer will be “ALWAYS” 🥹🥲

This will be my last blog post from Singapore and I want to say a gigantic heartfelt THANK YOU to this incredible country and everyone who has been an integral part of our Singapore story 🙏🏻❤️ 

And now it is time for us to write a new story. I believe that we can make it a good one 🤩 

Here’s to new beginnings! 🥂

P.S - Thank you to all my blog readers who kept up with my journey in Singapore. I sincerely hope you will stick around! Once I gather my bearings, I promise to be back with lots of recipes, reviews and ramblings.

Aura Blender Review: A Portable Personal Blender

Product Review

I went through a smoothie bowl phase a few years ago. I probably jumped on the trend thanks to Instagram what with all the colorful smoothie bowl images constantly flooding my feed (FOMO is real you guys 😆). That was the time when I was working out on a daily basis and rigorously keeping track of my fruit and veg intake. But unfortunately for me, it didn't last. The reason it remained a 'phase' is because after a while, with juggling a full-time career, home and two young children, it just started to feel like too much work. 

Back then, I was using a bulky blender to make my mixed fruit smoothie bowls and let's be honest, no one likes cleaning those things up. I did not consider getting a portable personal blender that would have made things easier. If I had, perhaps smoothie bowls may have still been a part of my daily routine. And come to think of it, not just smoothie bowls. Now I can see myself popping chunks of fresh fruit in the blender along with water or almond milk and stashing it in my gym or swimming bag to be enjoyed right after a workout. I would much prefer a homemade fresh fruit juice or fruit-based smoothie compared to one of those canned energy drinks. 

I recently tried out the highly-rated Aura Portable Blender. My first impressions were overwhelmingly positive. This wireless blender is packs power in a sleek and compact blender design. 

Its size makes it ideal to pack into a protective bag known as the Aura Insulated Sleeve to take to the gym, the office, a picnic or during travel. 

The Aura Blender can easily blend smoothies, protein shakes and baby food on the go. It can also be used to make fruit juices, iced coffee, puddings, sauces and cocktails (note that it is powerful enough to blend ice & frozen ingredients too). 

Another great feature of this nifty gadget is that it is self-cleaning requiring only a drop of dish soap and water to clean itself without the need for dismantling. That wins extra brownie points in my books!

Aura has an anti-slip base made from high quality, non-toxic silicone rubber that grips any kind of surface tightly, wet surfaces included. 

I charged the Aura blender for an hour in the morning before using it and rinsed it well with water prior to use. My twins wanted to help me make a smoothie so I gathered together some of their favourite ingredients. We put in some chunks of mango and bananas along with a few fresh blackberries and pitted cherries. The blender needs some liquid to be able to blend all the ingredients smoothly so we added in some unsweetened almond milk. We didn't add any sweetening agent like sugar, honey or maple syrup as a personal preference. The filling capacity of the blender cup should not exceed 80%. You can use water or any kind of dairy or plant-based milk depending on what you are blending. 

Operating the gadget is as easy as pressing a button - long press to activate the blender and a quick press to deactivate it. The fruits blended smoothly with the milk and the consistency and texture of the smoothie was perfect. 

Recipe of the month: Methi Thepla & Tikhari

My apologies for not posting regularly on the blog since the start of 2023. I have been in India since the first week of February and having done a fair bit of local travel, I have not had time to even think about content creation. But currently I'm at home in Bangalore (not gotten into the habit of saying Bengaluru yet!) and have some time to myself so I decided to cook and blog a recipe that has quickly gone on to become a weekday staple meal. 

For those who have been following this space for a long time, you may be aware of my love for herbs and green leafy vegetables. Among those, methi or fenugreek leaves rank among my most preferred. 

In Singapore, I don't come across fresh methi that frequently so when I do get my hands on them, I buy a substantial amount and spend the next few days making some of my favourite dishes. If you have not done so yet, I suggest you try my recipes for Methi Paneer, Methi Pulao and Methi Dosa which are some of the dishes I typically make with methi. I also tweak my Aloo Paratha recipe by adding in sautéed methi to the aloo (potato) filling which tastes just as great if not better. 

A dish I've learned to make more recently is Methi Thepla. I had it at a friend's house along with pickle and a spiced yoghurt-based side dish called Tikhari a few years ago and I really liked the combination. I got the recipes, tweaked them a little to suit our preferences and I haven't looked back since. These nutritious theplas turn out tender and are both wholesome and flavourful. 

Methi Thepla and Tikhari now features as a staple on our weekday menu. My husband and I love it, my kids like it, guests appreciate it and it is super lunch box friendly so an all-round winner in my opinion.

I hope you try this recipe and it works just as well for you as it does for me 😊

Book review: Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah

Let me start by saying that I do not typically gravitate towards the non-fiction genre of books as some of you might already be aware. A good story is what spurred my childhood love of reading and that doesn’t seem to have changed even after all these years. I consider myself to be a mildly imaginative and creative person by nature so escaping into a world of fiction where there is an absorbing story and compelling characters is my jam.

That said, I’ve been making a conscious effort to broaden my knowledge and perspective by interspersing fiction novels with non-fiction books in my reading list. I’ve read a couple of really thought-provoking non-fiction books in the last two years. They do tend to derail my reading pace but in the interest of personal growth, I’m determined to keep going. 

I added Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah to my reading list after seeing the sky-high ratings on Goodreads. The title of the book also piqued my curiosity. Born a crime? That sounded serious. 

Prior to reading the book, my husband and I had watched The Daily Show many times as well as several stand-up stage performances by the charming and hilarious Trevor Noah. But I had no idea if his flair for comedy and public speaking would translate into a good autobiography. Would the book be well-written? Would it be uplifting or bleak? What could I learn from it? These were some thoughts that entered my mind. In the end, I was not only pleasantly surprised but wowed even! 

In this fascinating memoir about his life, Trevor Noah, shines light on the complexities growing up as the child of a Swiss-German white father and Xhosa black mother during the dying days of apartheid in South Africa. His very existence as a biracial child during those times was considered illegal and even after apartheid fell, he continued to face the unique challenges from his ill-defined racial identity. He wasn’t black and he wasn’t white so he didn’t 'fit in' anywhere. 

In a nutshell, Born a Crime is an amalgamation of tumultuous history, brilliant storytelling, acute observations and meaningful reflection of the political climate and culture of South Africa during the 80s and 90s. At the crux of the memoir is Noah’s relationship with his mother, a single and formidable black woman who subverted the system at every step and equipped her son with essential skills that he needed in life to succeed.

Noah opens his memoir with a line stating that as a 9-year old child, his mother pushed him out of a moving bus. As shocking as that sounds, he proceeds to explain just why she did that and from there onwards, you just want to know more.

Restaurant review: Pano Kato Grill, Pizza & Deli, Singapore

Wishing all my readers a very Happy New Year 2023 💥 May the new year bring happiness, peace and prosperity. 

This is going to be a big year for my family. We have lots of changes, transitions and challenges up ahead. But we are preparing for it and I will post an update in due course of time 😊

I had some draft posts from 2022 that needed publishing. This post is from last November when my brother-in-law and his wife visited us from the US. They stayed with us for 10 days and it was a jam-packed but fun family reunion with us heading out somewhere or the other almost every single day. 

During that time we were specifically looking for non-Indian restaurants (that we had not been to previously) that offered a decent selection of vegan options. Although we are not vegan, our guests happened to be and so we wanted everyone to enjoy a good meal when we were dining out. 

I'm usually aware of new and/or buzzworthy restaurants that open in Singapore, especially those that are vegetarian-friendly. I invariably come across them on social media or I hear about them from friends and colleagues. So when my husband suggested Pano Kato Grill, Pizza and Deli, a Mediterranean eatery housed in Tanglin mall, I was mildly surprised because I had never heard of the place. 

This restaurant is the culinary adventure from the owners of House of AnLi, Anne-Jean and Panagiotis. Pano Kato in Greek translates to upstairs downstairs referring to House of AnLi's store & bistro located upstairs and Pano Kato located downstairs inside Tanglin Mall.

At Pano Kato, delicious food from the Mediterranean region made with good-quality natural ingredients is served in all its simplicity.

The stylish restaurant is bright and airy, has ample space and a lovely white and green Mediterranean-inspired décor embellished with rattan furnishings and potted plants for a tropical touch. The restaurant has a welcoming and relaxed vibe. 

I spent a few minutes gazing at the delectable food enclosed within the glass shelves. There were stuffed peppers, salads, falafel, patties, cakes, tarts and puddings among others. 

The staff were friendly and hospitable. They had us comfortably seated and handed us the menu. The menu offers a wide selection of appetizers, salads, sides, pizzas, burgers, pasta, wraps, Greek desserts and artisan ice-creams. Most dishes are from Greek and Italian cuisine. There are gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan options available. There is also a section for kids menu and I was glad to see it included some wholesome dishes instead of the deep-fried or cheese loaded junk food that is commonly found in the kids menu section at most restaurants (this is a huge pet peeve of mine by the way!). 

After placing our lunch order, we snuck over to the adjacent House of AnLi to check out the homewares and furnishings. They have some really nice stuff but most of it is rather pricey so a fat wallet is recommended 😄