Just Walking Around

Eggcellent Eggilicious Sunday’s

One day in the week everyone looks forward to after the daily grind and other family responsibilities taken care off is the SUNDAY. A day spent catching up on lost sleep, relaxing and generally lazying around at a pace much slower than the rushed up week days.Sunday’s is also for those late breakfasts in between many cups of tea and the customary reading of The Sunday Times to catch up on the weekly news , views and all that in between on Arts Culture and Sports . A perfect start to the morning or late afternoon depending upon when you get up.

But the one thing I look forward to is the Eggiliscious breakfast on such lazy Sunday. I am passionate about eggs. For a person who doesn't quite enjoy toiling in the kitchen, an egg is like a wonder ingredient. From plain, simple and sumptuously satisfying omelettes to the more exquisite preparations including the worlds of the Benedict,Scotch eggs and much more - it is an item that can go along with its master - whether a beginner or a sophisticated chef. I don't care much about my breakfast till it is energy dense, full of nutrients sans any junk. Perfectly done eggs along with a glass of juice or our kadak chai, a couple of slices of whole grain bread or the soft ladi pav and I am set. Though I am the kind of person who doesn't get bored of classics easily, having a profession which involves a lot of travel, a chance to eat a variety of egg preparations for breakfast is something I would call my personal bliss.

Moreover, there is just so much that one can do with eggs. You don't need elaborate prepping to cooks eggs. While omelets, half fries and the classic hard-boiled would seem passe to most food enthusiasts, the poached, scrambled, baked or for that matter deviled versions are a certain hit with foodies. Lets admit, eggs and breakfast go hand in hand for most of us. It is as ubiquitous a combination as that of a needle and thread. But for those who loathe monotony and detest routine in their days there are recipes that are yummy and also fills the tummy. Some mouthwatering some pleasing to the eye and some just spicy to make your taste buds dance with ecstasy.

Parathas are undoubtedly a staple Indian food that can be eaten with almost anything. Mughlai Paratha or the Baida Roti as famously known in Bengali household is one such variety that has a huge fan following. Parathas or Rotis stuffed with eggs and fried to perfection, Baida Roti is popular Bengali street food that is relished right from Kolkotta to Mumbai.

Staying in Matunga and surrounded by Irani / Parsi Café’s like Koolar’s , Café Gulshan and Café Colony one of the special egg recipe is the Akuri. Akuri is the perfectly scrambled eggs for the Indian palate – tad spicy, creamy, hint of coriander. It forms a perfect breakfast dish or a snack sitting neatly on top of a crisp toast.Also can be had with laddi pav or the crunchy Brun or Kadak pav as it is known in Mumbai. 

Another favorite egg dish while sitting at any Irani Café is the Masala Omelette. A spicy combination eggs whisked with flavorful spices, onions and tomatoes. Masala omelette is the classic Indian breakfast recipe that is quick, easy to prepare and full of flavour. Another specialty at Koolar’s Café is The Wrestlers Omelette. The aptly named Wrestler Omelette packs in five eggs, and is vouched for by some of the city’s best body builders including fitness expert Kaizaad Kapadia. This  five-egg omelette may constitute a typical breakfast for a wrestler, but for those of us not in the muscle flexing business, it's a breakfast challenge. The omelette takes about 20 minutes to prepare, but is well worth the wait. The eggs are whisked with chopped onions, green chilies and some coriander, and seasoned with just the right amount of salt. Two people can easily split the dish, or if you're feeling particularly indulgent, take it on by yourself.

A complex egg recipe is the Eggs Benedict . Bread topped with blanched spinach, smoked salmon, a delicately poached egg and Hollandaise sauce with a pinch of paprika. Let your taste buds go on a roller coaster of flavors with this classic egg dish. 

One more difficult egg recipe is the stuffed egg. A little bit of effort and this recipe helps you tap your culinary potential. Hard-boiled eggs loaded with masalas, nuts, cheese and tamarind paste, dipped in a smooth batter and fried golden. One of my favorite recipes and made lovingly by my wifey’s maternal aunt Sunita Maushi. Yummy to taste and finger licking recipe, when you eat this you can’t stop at one.

One egg recipe which I found was unique and unusual was the Omelette Curry introduced to me Jagdish dada , again my Wifey’s cousin from Goa. As you know Omelettes are simple, filling and never boring. This recipe offers a fresh depart from the usual, a tomato based curry with omelette chunks dipped deep in. A twist to the usual omelette that we have in breakfast, turn it around and relish it for lunch too

And how can you write about egg recipes and not write about the childhood favorite Egg and Cheese French Toast. The mouthwatering breakfast option is made up of slices of bread coated in a batter of egg and spices along with a generous helping of cheese.

I can not but skip a very unique eggitarian dish I recently had during one of my sales visits in Ahmedabad. An otherwise pure vegetarian city but there is this place called the Ahmedabad Food Truck an open area / ground near Karnawati Club where you will find 10-12 food trucks parked duiring the day and night. During evening time this area comes alive with lights and action . With smeels of delicious non-veg food wafting from each Truck. It’s a non-vegetarians paradise. Here your get Tandoory chicken , Chicken tikka's and kabab's. Wraps of multiple kinds , some spicy some cheesy but all of them mouth watering. Some specialize in Chicken and Mutton dishes and 2 in egg dishes. At one of these trucks called the Egg’s World you get Old and famous John Ki Roti a really scrumptious egg wrap made in a very unique way.It has and hot dog bun filled with sauteed tomato onion and cheese mixture blended with garam masala to give it a spicy taste. This subway type sandwiches is coated with a batter of whisked eggs and fan fried to perfection .Cut into bite size pieces and Served with mint chutney. The first bite itself will explode in your mouth with flavours you have never tasted before. A truly mouth watering and heavy dish. One John Ki Roti and your tummy is full.

Besides these they serve lots of other egg recipes be it the simple boiled egg salad sprinkled with chaat masala to make finger licking. Omelette curry masala with bread slices and many other delicious dishes to choose from.

And finally for those midnight hunger pangs and food craving what best than the classic Mumbai roadside Masala Egg Bhurji. Scrambled eggs made the Mumbaiya Ishtyle. Eggs, lots of chopped onions and tomatoes a little bit of masala and butter all coming together to make this much loved street food. This recipe of Egg bhurji is a personal favorite among all the eggetarians since these scrambled eggs are easy and quick to make. Great with toast or pav and is sure to satisfy any palate.

Eggs are versatile to make just about anything.So go ahead try an egg next itme when you are hungry . A meal my itself and rich in protiens. So what are you waiting for Sunday Ho Ya Monday Roj Khao Ande….

Just Walking Around

New Year …New Calendars.

The latest joke going around on the social media is “ Utarli Kaa ???........Bhinti Varchi Calendar’s….ha ha ha…

As the New Year starts , it’s the start of a new yearly journey and new beginning for every one of us with the start date set at January 1^st and end date set at December 31^st . The 365 days in between for us to live our life to the fullest and make some of our dreams come true. Some milestones to achieve , so important events to attend ,have some great time with our families and overall make some memories.

Every one knows that the English Calendar or  The Gregorian calendar is the most widely used civil calendar in the world. In 1582, when Pope Gregory XIII introduced his Gregorian calendar, Europe adhered to the Julian calendar, first implemented by Julius Caesar in 46 B.C. Since the Roman emperor’s system miscalculated the length of the solar year by 11 minutes, the calendar had since fallen out of sync with the seasons. This concerned Gregory because it meant that Easter, traditionally observed on March 21, fell further away from the spring equinox with each passing year.

The Julian calendar included an extra day in February every four years. But Aloysus Lilius, the Italian scientist who developed the system Pope Gregory would unveil in 1582, realized that the addition of so many days made the calendar slightly too long. He devised a variation that adds leap days in years divisible by four, unless the year is also divisible by 100. If the year is also divisible by 400, a leap day is added regardless. While this formula may sound confusing, it did resolve the lag created by Caesar’s earlier scheme—almost.

Though Pope Gregory’s papal bull reforming the calendar had no power beyond the Catholic Church, Catholic countries—including Spain, Portugal and Italy—swiftly adopted the new system for their civil affairs. European Protestants, however, largely rejected the change because of its ties to the papacy, fearing it was an attempt to silence their movement. It wasn’t until 1700 that Protestant Germany switched over, and England held out until 1752. Orthodox countries clung to the Julian calendar until even later, and their national churches have never embraced Gregory’s reforms.

According to some accounts, English citizens did not react kindly after an act of Parliament advanced the calendar overnight from September 2 to September 14, 1752. Rioters supposedly took to the streets, demanding that the government “give us our 11 days.” However, most historians now believe that these protests never occurred or were greatly exaggerated. On the other side of the Atlantic, meanwhile, Benjamin Franklin welcomed the change, writing, “It is pleasant for an old man to be able to go to bed on September 2, and not have to get up until September 14.”

Julius Caesar’s calendar reform of 46 B.C. instituted January 1 as the first of the year. During the Middle Ages, however, European countries replaced it with days that carried greater religious significance, such as December 25 (the anniversary of Jesus’ birth) and March 25 (the Feast of the Annunciation). The latter, known as Lady Day because it celebrates the Virgin Mary, marked the beginning of the year in Britain until January 1, 1752.

New year doesn't begin on January 1 for everyone.It can vary in different religions and cultures.Among the variations, there is Chinese New Year which takes place sometime between January 21 and February 21 each year and includes celebrations in China and among Chinese communities across the globe.This year 2019 is said to be the Year of the Pig.Which will be celebrated with gusto and pomp . With Dragon parades and two of the most famous Chinese food items as part of their traditional lunch the Jiaozi or the dumplings and Tang Yuan or the glutinous rice balls. 

There's also Islamic New Year, which also has a variable date.In 2019, it will start on September 10 - the first day of the month of Muharram and the start of Islamic year 1441.The Islamic calendar is based on the moon and this means dates move back by 10 or 11 days each year within the longer, sun-based, January-to-December Gregorian calendar used by most of the Western world.This can make it difficult even for Muslims themselves to keep track of the dates.

The Islamic calendar or Hijri calendar follows the cycle of the moon.Hijrah is an Arabic word meaning migration - it refers to the migration of the prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Medina in 622 AD, an event that marks the start of the Islamic calendar.

In 17 AH (638 AD/CE), Abu Musa Ashaari, one of the officials of the Caliph Umar in Basrah, complained about the absence of any years on the correspondence he received from Umar, making it difficult for him to determine which instructions were most recent. This report convinced Umar of the need to introduce an era for Muslims. After debating the issue with his counsellors, he decided that the first year should include the date of Muhammad's arrival at Medina (known as Yathrib, before Muhammad's arrival). Uthman ibn Affan then suggested that the months begin with Muharram, in line with the established custom of the Arabs at that time. The years of the Islamic calendar thus began with the month of Muharram in the year of Muhammad's arrival at the city of Medina, even though the actual emigration took place in Safar and Rabi' I. Because of the Hijra, the calendar was named the Hijri calendar.

The first day of the first month of the Islamic calendar (1 Muharram 1 AH) was set to the first new moon after the day the Prophet moved from Quba' to Medina (originally 26 Rabi' I on the pre-Islamic calendar) i.e., Friday, 16 July 622 AD/CE, the equivalent civil tabular date (same daylight period) in the Julian calendar. The Islamic day began at the preceding sunset on the evening of 15 July. This Julian date (16 July) was determined by medieval Muslim astronomers by projecting back in time their own tabular Islamic calendar, which had alternating 30- and 29-day months in each lunar year plus eleven leap days every 30 years. For example, al-Biruni mentioned this Julian date in the year 1000 AD/CE. Although not used by either medieval Muslim astronomers or modern scholars to determine the Islamic epoch, the thin crescent moon would have also first become visible (assuming clouds did not obscure it) shortly after the preceding sunset on the evening of 15 July, 1.5 days after the associated dark moon (astronomical new moon) on the morning of 14 July.

Four of the twelve Hijri months are considered sacred: Rajab (7), and the three consecutive months of Dhū al-Qa‘dah (11), Dhu al-Ḥijjah (12) and Muḥarram (1). As the lunar calendar lags behind the solar calendar by about ten days every Gregorian year, months of the Islamic calendar fall in different parts of the Gregorian calendar each year. The cycle repeats every 33 lunar years. Each month of the Islamic calendar commences on the birth of the new lunar cycle. Traditionally this is based on actual observation of the crescent (hilal) marking the end of the previous lunar cycle and hence the previous month, thereby beginning the new month. Consequently, each month can have 29 or 30 days depending on the visibility of the moon, astronomical positioning of the earth and weather conditions. However, certain sects and groups, most notably Bohras Muslims namely Alavis, Dawoodis and Sulaymanis and Shia Ismaili Muslims, use a tabular Islamic calendar in which odd-numbered months have thirty days (and also the twelfth month in a leap year) and even months have 29.

The important dates like Shab e Barat (or Lailat al Bara'a) , Ramadan (Ramzan) Eid , Eid Ul Fitr , Moharram and Milad al Nabi (Prophet Mohammed’s birthday )  are based mostly on astronomical charts and are adopted by some Muslims, particularly governments that must plan forward for civic and public occasions.However for a lot of others, a sighting of the primary crescent of the brand new moon is required to find out when a month or occasion ought to truly begin so among the dates may change barely nearer the time.

The boisterous and jovial Sikh’s also have their own Calendar, “The Nanakshahi calendar” . It was created to establish fixed dates for observing important Sikh commemorative events related to the history of the Sikh gurus which took place in ancient Punjab. It includes Birth (Prakash – The manifestation of Light ), Inaugration as Guru (Guru Gadee – Enthronement) and Martyrdom or Death (Jyoti Jot – the merging of manifest light into Divine Light)

Sikhs have traditionally recognized two eras and luni-solar calendars: the Nanakshahi and Khalsa. Traditionally, both these calendars closely followed the Bikrami calendar with the Nanakshahi year beginning on Katak Pooranmashi (full moon) and the Khalsa year commencing with Vaisakhi. The methods for calculating the beginning of the Khalsa era were based on the Bikrami calendar. The year length was also the same as the Bikrami solar year .The calendar has twelve lunar months that are determined by the lunar phase, but thirteen months in leap years which occur every 2–3 years in the Bikrami calendar to sync the lunar calendar with its solar counterpart.References to the Nanakshahi Era have been made in historic documents .Banda Singh Bahadur adopted the Nanakshahi calendar in 1710 C.E. after his victory in Sirhind (12 May 1710 C.E.) according to which the year 1710 C.E. became Nanakshahi 241. However, according to Dilagira (1997), he "continued adopting the months and the days of the months according to the Bikrami calendar".Banda Singh Bahadur also minted new coins also called Nanakshahi.

The revised Nanakshahi calendar was designed by Pal Singh Purewal to replace the Bikrami calendar. The epoch of this calendar is the birth of the first Sikh Guru, Nanak Devin 1469 and the Nanakshahi year commences on 1 Chet. New Year's Day falls annually on what is March 14 in the Gregorian Western calendar. The start of each month is fixed. The solar accuracy of the Nanakshahi calendar is linked to the Gregorian civil calendar. This is because the Nanaskhahi calendar uses the tropical year instead of using the sidereal year which is used in the Bikrami calendar or the old Nanakshahi and Khalsa calendars.

The amended Nanakshahi calendar was adopted in 1998 but implemented in 2003 by the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabhandak Committee the governing office of Sikhism located in the Punjab to determine the dates for important Sikh events and mandating its use The events and dates of The Nanakshahi calendar entries given may differ by months, or even years, from original historical records such as the Vikram Samvat (SV), or Bikram Sambat (BK), calendar based on lunar cycle dating. Some of the names of the Nanakshahi months are like those of the Hindu Calendar. Like for example Vaishakh , Jeth , Savan (Shravan) , Bhadho (Bhadrapad), Magh and Pahgan (Phalgun).

Talking about Hindu Calendars the most famous one is the Kalnirnay Calmanac. the iconic calendar was born in 1972, originally in Marathi.Jayant Salgaokar creator and the publisher ,envisioned it as more than a calendar. Published in nine languages, it performs a multi-pronged role. It serves most crucially as a panchang, an astrological diary that informs you about the position of planets and hence, is consulted before selecting appropriate and auspicious times for important occasions. It lists festivals, carries a horoscope, recipes, medical advice, and articles written by experts in their fields, by stalwarts like Durga Bhagwat and PL Deshpande. It also serves as a reminder for the woman of the house. It even allows you to jot notes on the number of clothes given to the dhobi or items that have to be procured for the kitchen. So, essentially, everyone in the home would use it.

As Kalnirnay enters its 45th year, the thrust is on conquering the digital space. They were the first in Mumbai to have an online retail website, much like Amazon is doing today. This was way back in 1995. They shut it down eventually when competition arrived. They launched an app in 2010, when apps were a new thing. So they have always been ahead of the times, Right now, they are using the Facebook and Twitter platforms to figure what their customers want. This is in a testing phase. Though their core business will always be the printed almanac, they want to widen their social media imprint to reach their existing customer more effectively while attracting a new audience. Kalnirnay currently prints 20 million copies of the calendar and the app has 5 million subscribers.

In a new advertisement released on their YouTube channel, the almanac is no longer the gift given to a daughter when she is married. Now, it goes with her to Harvard. Kalnirnay is a tradition that's passed down over generations. But now, they don't just rely on the institution of marriage. People from all over the world order it every year. Patel Stores in New York displays it proudly when it gets there at the start of the year, Shakti Salgaonkar Yezdani grand daughter of late Jayant Salgaonkar  and her young social media team ensure that it's not just the almanac that reaches out to their audience but even the writings of literary greats.They go through back issues and pick interesting archival reads for the new reader. It's about giving them everything the almanac offers and more.

Recently, the office of the Prime Minister called Jayraj Salgaonkar son of Jayant Salgaonkar and the current Managing Director of Kalnirnay  and asked, Does Kalnirnay have a Gujarati version?' He said, yes. 'Is it available on iPad?' He said, no. 'Do you know Mr Modi reads on the iPad? He won't be happy if he can't read it in Gujarati on his iPad'. He promptly called his contact in Silicon Valley and got the app designed in Gujarati.That’s what you call Changing with the Times . As in the famous Bob Dylan song “The Times, They Are A Changing”.

So this  New Year Ring out the Old and Ring In the New, in your life both metaphorically and in action.

Wishing all my readers a very Happy New Year 2019 and Happy Reading…..

Just Walking Around

Sakhar Chapati and other memorable childhood snacks…

The other day read an article in The Times Of India about the Marathi Actor Amey Wagh who played Banesh (Faster) Fene in last years one of the top Marathi grosser “Faster Fene” talking about his favorite childhood tiffin snack of Tup Sakhar Poli made by his mother and given in his school dabba. Most of us too have had this snack while growing up as kids. The taste of freshly made chapatti smeared with healthy amount os Tup or homade ghee and then sprinkled with sparkling crystals of sugar and slightly heated on the Tawa to make it a little crispy.Bitting into this yummy snack would leave a mouth watering after taste which would linger on for hours together. A similar version can be made with the mixed fruit jam smeared on the same chapatti and rolled to make jam roll , but its no where near the Tup Sakhar Chapati.

Another favorite tiffin snack was the Thikhat Meethachya Purya , those fluffy puris made with whole wheat as basic ingredient and only salt and red chilly powder mixed in the right proportion to make them a little salty and a little spicy. These could be eaten all by themselves or with the ever faithful Tomato Ketchup. A lipsmacking snack which could be had anytime either at lunch time during tiffin break or as a energy recharger in the evening just before going down to play. A sweet version of these also was a hit with us kids . The puris made with mixing ripe bananas into the atta and then frying them golden brown. But these needed to be had right out of the kadai , hot and sweet and if you had a mint and dhania chutney to go with it toh kya baat.Yummy and delicious. A special version of this sweet snack was the Banana Mulka or Banana Appam made with ripened banana and jaggery mixed to form a batter then wheat flour added to this mixture as a binder , salt to taste , Elaichi powder to give is a flavor and sometimes a little semolina or Rava as we call to give these fritter that crispyness. Deep fried to dark brown and served hot these small round bhajji type mulka are heavenly to taste also filling for the energetic young kids.

We did not have the concept of breakfast during school days as the school itself was from 10am to 5pm with 2 lunch breaks . So most days breakfast was a mugful of milk with Parle G or Prasad Toast. But sometimes if we were bored we had desi cum continental breakfast. Yes desi-continental in terms of Rice flakes our Maharashtrian Patal pohe dunked in a bowl of Milk and sugar.A healthy and wholesome snack. The same snack could be made into a salty one by using yogurt instead of milk and pinch of salt instead of the sugar. And if you could get Mom to use her magic by giving it a tadka of finely chopped green chilies , some roasted peanuts , crackling mustard seeds and few curry leaves the snack could be turned into a mini meal by itself. To be savored by all in the family. A close replica of the Curd –Rice or Tahir Sadam from down south.

Another favorite tiffin snack and the most simple to make was the chutney sandwich with its sweet –salty green chutney spread over 2 slices of bread mostly a Wibs or a Modern bread. And yes a white bread there was no option of Brown bread or the mutli grain that you get today. But this little snack would be shared during tiffin time and gobbled up to the last crumb. The chutney sandwich was also a favorite at birthday parties and was most popular next only to the humble Samosa-Wafer combination.Makes my mouth water up just thinking about these nick-knacks.

Most times the tiffin was filled with the chapatti bahji which was made at home to save on cooking time. 

But at times when this got boring a request would go out to Mom for a Frankie type veg roll or a paratha to make lunch time in school a little bit interesting. Now a days instead of the veggies my Wifey makes an indulging Cheese roll for my kids which get devoured by them during tiffin time without even a small morsel coming back. Though what comes back are compliments from fellow students in their class eagerly shared with their Mom at the end of the day.

On certain days of the week like a Wednesday or Friday we were allowed to take non-veg items to school. Nothing fancy but a small variation like the Anda Paratha with Chapati as the base and wisked egg omelette on top , roasted to perfect union and then rolled up to make a lip smacking snack was a to die for snack as also much awaited break from the regular bhaji chapatti 

.The other spicy option was Bhurji Chapati made with tomatoes , sauteed onion, a pinch salt of some chopped green chilies and a pinch of red chilly powder added to the scrambled eggs to make a perfect dish to go with the drab chapatti.A tasty and filling tiffin time option.

I still remember those school lunch break . A time to pool in the variety of snacks among our regular group. Sharing the food and some lively banter. Joking ,Laughing and sometimes pulling each others and generally having a great time.A  well deserved break from the stern teachers and days long studies.

Here’s wishing all my readers year full of Gastronomic adventure and a fabulous New Year 2019. Enjoy the food , Stay healthy and Happy Reading…..

Just Walking Around

Mawa Cakes and Mutton Puffs

The Brit’s gave us a habit of high tea with evening snacks.Further nutured by our very own gora’s the Parsis.It could be a light snack of Cheese Sandwiches or those light and succulent and fluffy Chicken or Mutton puffs.But sometimes they  also used to have a sweet muffin or a brownie.  A muffin is an individual-sized, baked product. It can refer to two distinct items, a part-raised flatbread and a cupcake-like quick bread. The flatbread is of British or European derivation, and dates from at least the early 18th century, while the quick bread originated in North America during the 19th century. Both are common worldwide today.

Quickbread muffins (known in Britain as American muffin or simply as "muffins") originated in the United States in the mid-19th century. The use of the term to describe what are essentially cup cakes or buns did not become common usage in Britain until the last decades of the 20th century on the back of the spread of coffee shops such as Starbucks. (There is lingering resistance in the UK to the term as being inapplicable to cakes.) They are similar to cupcakes in size and cooking methods, the main difference being that cupcakes tend to be sweet desserts using cake batter and which are often topped with sugar icing (American frosting). Muffins are available in both savoury varieties, such as corn meal and cheese muffins, or sweet varieties such as blueberry, chocolate chip, lemon or banana flavours. They are often eaten as a breakfast food, often accompanied by coffee or tea. Fresh baked muffins are sold by bakeries, donut shops and some fast food restaurants and coffeehouses.

In India especially in Mumbai where there is our very own version of this sweet piece of snack…the Mawa cake . Those perfectly round brown cup cakes sitting in big glass jars or glass top cake display units at the famous Irani Cafes like Jimmy Boy , Café Britannia , Café Modegar inSoBO district or local Irani café’s in old Mumbai areas of Dadar – Matunga like the famous Koolar’s at King Circle or Café Colony in Hindu Colony . Order a cup of chai and peel of the butter paper around these delicious savoury and gobble them up. And if you have sweet tooth you wont stop at one.

The mawa cake is maybe not the most aesthetic looking creation of the cake world, although SodaBottleOpenerWala does seem to have prettified it with icing and such. Everywhere else though, it's just a plain dense cake, made with mawa. Sometimes it is prepared as a slab, and thick slices are lopped off and served. And sometimes, it is served in dainty cupcake form with a little frill of a paper wrapper around it that requires careful unwrapping. The mawa in the cake makes it dense and rich, and adds a caramelised flavour. The richness is laced with a hint of cardamom and sometimes nutmeg. Traditionally, it comes with cashew nuts and sometimes almonds, crowning the top. It is the sort of cake you would order with a cup of hot tea, after a long, miserable day that has dulled your spirit.

Nobody can really say how the cake came about: the birth of the mawa cake is a mystery that has been lost in the shroud of history. Certainly, B Merwan claims to have invented it but then so does Pune's Royal Bakery. Perhaps it was the fortuitous result of twiddling and tweaking the boring old sponge cake, or an upgrade of the traditional kumas (a sort of semolina cake). It may well have been a way to preserve milk from spoiling in the days when there were no refrigerators (after all, mawa is the milk product you get after boiling milk for a long time, until it turns into a blob of dough-like milk solids). There's only one thing for sure - there was certainly no mawa cake before the wave of immigrants that took over all the corner spaces in the city and opened their Irani cafes.

If you want to try the best Mawa Cakes then you should visit the old Irani / Parsi bakeries which double up as Café’s . Like the Kayani Bakery and Café just opposite Metro Cinema at Dobhi Talao. Perhaps the oldest Irani café of them all, it’s located in the most central area of Dhobi Talao, with Metro cinema, and St. Xaviers college serving as its important landmarks. As such, one can safely say that the ever constant popularity of Kyani makes sure it doesn’t need any. Standing out as a proud structure of heritage amidst the bustle of South Mumbai, a peek into the café will always be greeted with crowded tables, and friendly staff.

Located at a stone’s throw away from Kyani, the century-old Sassanian is the one-stop place for anyone craving a serving of great bun maska, puddings, cakes and khari, a flour biscuit one eats with tea. 

Another favourite snack with that hot pipping cup of chai are the special Chicken / Mutton Puffs or pattice as they are colloquially called .These triangular multi-layered fluffy pattice are to die for satisfying those late afternoon hunger pangs and giving you the much needed extra energy to take you through the evening time. If you ask me where do you get the best Mutton puffs only 2 places come to my mind. Sunshine Snack Corner, about ten minutes away from the bustle of Causeway, is one such place, selling the most delicious puffs, cutlets, and sandwiches, and at budget friendly prices. The first thing that drew you into Sunshine Snack Counter is the Pink Panther mural on its walls. 

The second thing—and this one’s the keeper—is the counter stacked with mutton puffs, cutlets, and samosas. This no-frills eating joint takes up a small corner near Colaba Post Office and is made up of a counter and a couple of tables presided over by the aforementioned cartoon mural. As citizens of Mumbai, I’ve eaten my share of mutton puffs, so when I say these were some of the best I’ve had, I do hope you take me seriously. The pastry outside is light and perfectly crisp and flaky, while the filling—to quote our favourite picky eater—is just right. Not too spicy or bland, not too dry or too soggy, it was just the right amount of piquant with a welcome dash of freshness from the chunks of tomato and onion that hadn’t been cooked down into an unrecognizable paste. The cutlet is similarly tasty, with a rawa-fried batter and a filling typical of most Parsi-style mutton cutlets – erring on the spicy side but tempered with bits of potato. This is a real gem to have your Mutton puff / pattice.

Another famous place is in Bandra goes by the name of Hearsch Bakery. The J HearschBakery that flanks the Holy Family Hospital is a Bandra Landmark that even townies are known to make the pilgrimage to for a hearty meal of burgers , puffs and freshly made lemonade.What no one knows is that this friendly neighbourhood bakery wouldn’t have been around had Britain not declared war on Germay in 1914 and gentleman named Hearsch had not met a Colaba lady. Hearsch bakery is a remnant of a time when Bandra's hub of street couture, Hill Road, was renowned merely for its hospitals. Nearly a hundred years ago, a young and enterprising Goan girl ventured onto the very same street. Having just pulled the curtains down on her most recent venture -- Connaught Bakery on Colaba Causeway -- Sophia Liberata Fernandes was disillusioned about the future. It was here that she first heard of a German baker, who wished to lease out his bakery. Rather urgently as well, from the sound of things

In the wake of the First World War, relations between Germany and Britain had witnessed a significant decay. Britain's colonies, including India, were no longer safe for Germans. It was in the 1920s, under such trying circumstances that a bread man, J Hearsch, reluctantly decided to give up his labour of love, a small bakery, and head for the safer shores of Germany.  Quite by chance, he met Sophia, who was keen to start a bakery in Bandra, after shutting down her shop in Colaba. Hearsch entrusted the passionate Sophia with his life's work, and fled to Germany, and obscurity.

Hearsch bakery is located on the busy Hill Road, and knowledge of its closest landmark, Mocha Mojo, won't do you much good. However, ask the most lethargic local for directions and he will guide you with alacrity, and some pride even. Located within the idyllic premise of a forbiddingly-gated British era bungalow, the bakery is a hidden gem of sorts. Top a juicy burger (Rs 50) off with some velvety mousse (Rs 30) and wash it down with lemonade (made fresh, on the spot and for Rs 20 only), and you are still light by only a hundred rupees. 

By 7 am, the bakery is abuzz with cooks and bakers working on preparations that have made Hearsch famous. A good mixture of youngsters and veterans work round the clock in the kitchen, kneading, baking, frying and decorating all that food which graces the counters of the store. The puffs and sandwiches are the fastest moving items, with about a hundred of each prepared in a single batch. 

The special mayonnaise, Hearsch's best-kept secret, is the trickiest concoction. Vary but a little from the original recipe, and the D'Sa brothers -- Melvin and Steven, who mind the counter at different times of the day -- have to suffer much criticism from patrons

The prices are the least of Hearsch's links to a time long forgotten. The idyllic positioning of the bakery makes it a perfect romancing spot. Construction rocks next to the bakery are inadvertently positioned underneath an ageing tree and are enclosed by furry emerald patches of grass. While the area does not technically fall under the property of the bakery, Mr.D'Sa the current manager admits to witnessing a wealth of romances blossom here over the years. 

Most patrons sit on the well-laid out stones that also serve as table tops for their glasses of shake. The neighborhood cats keep a keen eye on their paper plates too, but being well-mannered, they wait patiently for patrons to throw them in the waste bins. They then proceed to rummage the bins, fighting only with the crows, who tend to get there first.   


This suburban bakery, barely a stone's throw from actor Salman Khan's house, is visited by celebrities too

So next time you are a little bit hungry and want that much needed cup of chai , try these awesome places for a little bit of mawa cakes or mutton puffs to go with your pipping hot cuppa.