Badusha- Balushahi- Sweets..

My first experience with this Badusha was in Hyderabad.  They used to sell these at the food counters in my previous organisation.  The first bite itself was enough for me to fall in love with them.  I have a very selective palette when it comes to Indian sweets.  I don't experiment much with them unless they are really appealing to my eyes.

When I moved to Bangalore, I started to miss Hyderabad and it's cuisines.  It's one of the best places for a foodie like me.  Even the street food are so perfect.  I have a few of my favorite stalls for Chinese, evening snacks- south Indian, North Indian snacks, chats..etc.

Ingredients:-
1 Cup Maida
1/8 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Cup Ghee
1/4 Cup Yogurt/Dahi
1 Cup pistachios / Almonds - sliced into pieces as per your choice
Oil

Method for The Badusha's-
Mix Maida, Baking powder, soda in a dry bowl.  Add Ghee and rub it with your fingers to resemble grainy sand.  Pour in the yogurt and mix into into a rough dough(Do not over knead to smooth dough).  Cover the bowl now and leave it for 25 minutes.

Ingredients for Sugar Syrup:-
1  Cup Sugar
1/3 Cup water
5 Green Cardamons crushed

Method for Sugar Syrup -
Heat water and sugar together in a pan.  Add the Cardamons crushed. Keep stirring the mixture until it reaches a thread like consistency.

Uncover the dough and divide it into equal parts. Roll them with your palms into small round balls. Press into the center of each ball using your finger to form a dent.

Heat Oil in a frying pan and fry the Badusha's into deep golden brown. When they are still warm, Drench them into the Sugar Syrup for 5 minutes.

Remove from Syrup and place them over the tray or plate.  Garnish as per your choice with either pistachios, almonds or cashews.

**This recipe has been inspired from a favorite blogger of mine- Arundhati of Escapades.**

Custard Pie Recipe...

So Here's the Recipe for - CUSTARD PIE--

Ingredients :

1. 2 Cups plain flour (Maida).
2. A pinch of salt.
3. 1/2 cup of Unsalted Butter, chilled and cubed.
4. Some cold water.
5. 3 Large whole eggs.
6. 2 Egg yolks.
7. 1 Cup of castor/ powdered sugar.
8. 1 tsp Vanilla essence.
9. 500 ml light cream.

Method : 

Pastry -  

Sift flour and salt and place them into a large dry bowl.  Add the butter cubes into the mixture and gently rub the flour and butter using fingertips. The mixture should resemble breadcrumbs.  Add few drops of water to the mixture and stir it until the dough binds together.  Do not knead the dough.  Wrap the dough in a clean cling film and chill it for 15 to 30 mins in the refrigerator.

Coat the inner lining of the Pie dish with butter or oil.  Take the chilled dough and press it against the walls and base of the Pie dish, covering the entire dish with the crust.  Use a spoon to give a smooth texture to the pie pastry.  Remove the excess from the lining walls of the pie dish using spoon or knife. Place the pie dish along with the crust to chill in refrigerator.

Filling :

Preheat the oven at 220 C for 15 mins.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs and the egg yolks with sugar.  Beat it only gentle.  

Warm the cream until it's flows freely.  Do not burn or boil the cream. Cool it down a little and then pour it gently into the beaten eggs mixture.  Add the Vanilla essence too.   Stir constantly to avoid any lumps.  Pour this mixture through a sieve.  

Place the pie on a baking tray/ dish and bake it in the center of the preheated oven for 10 minutes at 220 C to brown the crust.  Now lower the temperature to 180 C and then continue baking for another 20 - 30 mins. Check the final product using a toothpick prick test.

Happy Custard Pie Baking Friends !!

Equal opportunity employer???

Equal Opportunity Employer??

Have we ever wondered what is the meaning of this sentence.  I have always failed to understand it.  Are these Multinational Companies displaying their equality status on the basis of Gender and Disability?

Few years back I had applied several times to one of the best MNC who's major revenue generation is via Search Engines.  I attended the written aptitude and English test as advised and was asked to attend a presentation at their office the following day.  All dressed, I started for their office in the outskirts of Hyderabad city.   Had to overcome many traffic obstacles before I reached the appointed venue.  The presentation was excellent and so was the food at the cafeteria.  The paint on the walls and the vibrant colors all around made me want to commit myself to this MNC.  I was at their office for an hour and a half.

On my way back, the visions of the workplace environment kept me occupied and I didn't realize the heavy traffic.  After a day or two, I received a rejection mail thanking me for the showing the interest in that MNC and also wishing me luck for future endeavors.   My application was rejected.  This moment all the interview questions started crossing my mind and I kept wondering about the written aptitude test.  I didn't have a clue as to where I had made a mistake and what had gone wrong with my answers.  I was confident that I had answered all the questions accurately.

After a few days of disappointing memories I started to forget about this MNC.

On fine day, a friend of mine invited me to her house.  We had great food and I had the opportunity to meet my friend's sister-in-law who worked as an HR for this MNC.  There were several discussion on the interests of this MNC's recruitment procedure.  She revealed that this MNC would recruit those candidates who would have passed out from certain graded colleges. I was surprised to hear this news.

I had never imagined that this company would have certain college category.  I had graduated with 1st Class.  Once I had submitted my resume in their website, their HR representative had called me and had discussed all the academic details along with my professional experience.  So, at the very first instance I had provided my college name and the grades too.  They could have simply rejected me then and there.

I was filled with anger and frustration as I Many felt that I had been treated unfair. Many of my friends had been treated the same way by this MNC.  This is not a professional behavior by this MNC.  If they had to reject many applications like me then they should set the college status as their first set of filtration.  They do not have any rights to generate hope and expectations in the beginning and then shatter them without mentioning the reason in the rejection mail.

Often I have heard the candidates being rejected due to certain gap in their education or professional  career.  I have worked continuously for around ten years and have the right to take a break as and when I need it.  The MNC's do not understand this or maybe their pretend not to understand.  The candidates have to compromise on Salary or on their designation.   Why do the MNC's not evaluate the candidate on their ability and capability rather than just judging them on the gaps in education and career?  Why can't they learn from the West that humans can learn the skills at any point in life? When will the so called MNC's stop judging candidates on the basis of scores and pin their interest more on the assessment of skills?

When will they start living up to their tag lines of being An Equal Opportunity Employer ?

I would be very glad that one day every person would get equal opportunity to execute their skills for the right job assigned. Why are we even thinking of gender equality as we all believe that both men and women can develop the same skills and execute them.  Yes being handicap does stop an individual from performing certain skills but there are no boundaries set.  I am glad that at least the MNC that I have worked for does hire cross gender  too provided they have the skills to do the job assigned.

But, segregation of the ability of an individual on the basis of college status is not appreciated.

A Letter to the Teacher:-

He will have to learn, I know,
that all men are not just,
all men are not true.
But teach him also that
for every scoundrel there is a hero;
that for every selfish Politician,
there is a dedicated leader...
Teach him for every enemy there is a friend,

Steer him away from envy,
if you can,
teach him the secret of
quiet laughter.

Let him learn early that
the bullies are the easiest to lick...
Teach him, if you can,
the wonder of books...
But also give him quiet time
to ponder the eternal mystery of birds in the sky,
bees in the sun,
and the flowers on a green hillside.

In the school teach him
it is far honourable to fail
than to cheat...
Teach him to have faith
in his own ideas,
even if everyone tells him
they are wrong...
Teach him to be gentle
with gentle people,
and tough with the tough.

Try to give my son
the strength not to follow the crowd
when everyone is getting on the band wagon...
Teach him to listen to all men...
but teach him also to filter
all he hears on a screen of truth,
and take only the good
that comes through.

Teach him if you can,
how to laugh when he is sad...
Teach him there is no shame in tears,
Teach him to scoff at cynics
and to beware of too much sweetness...
Teach him to sell his brawn
and brain to the highest bidders
but never to put a price-tag
on his heart and soul.

Teach him to close his ears
to a howling mob
and to stand and fight
if he thinks he's right.
Treat him gently,
but do not cuddle him,
because only the test
of fire makes fine steel.

Let him have the courage
to be impatient...
let him have the patience to be brave.
Teach him always
to have sublime faith in himself,
because then he will have
sublime faith in mankind.

This is a big order,
but see what you can do...
He is such a fine fellow,
my son!

-- Abraham Lincoln

Are you beside me..

I remember my friends saying that; some point in life we see ourselves standing at the crossroads of our lives, trying to figure out which way to choose. It's a tough decision. Rather a complicated one, cause we have to walk further with -'the choice'. But, what is more difficult; to choose the untrodden path or to follow the footsteps of the ones ahead? I could never make this choice until time taught me. It's true what our elders and younger ones had to say, that time teaches life's lessons in the best possible way. We just need to understand the 'want' inside us. A few questions with ourselves and then the path seems easy. Choose not only the best one but also the most desired at that time. I needn't worry as time is there to guide us. Just love this song- I just keep trusting the Lord, as I walk along, I just keep trusting the Lord and He gives me a song. Though the storm clouds darken the sky, over the heavenly trail, I just keep trusting the Lord. He will never fail..
Trust your inner voice. I have a story to share here-
There was a man who lived in a desert. He had a pet rabbit. He loved the rabbit as she was his only friend. One day both decided to cross the desert. One day they were traveling together, and there was a sudden sand storm. They pitched a tent in the sand dune and waited for the weather to be calm. They also had a camel to ride. The storm stopped after two days and the weather was safe to travel around. They started their journey on the sand together; camel, rabbit and the man. As days passed, they finished their food that they had carried with them for their journey. The camel was tired and so was the man and the rabbit. The camel could not carry the load of the man anymore as it was in need of food and water. The man thought selfish now; he left the rabbit his love in the dessert and moved ahead with the camel. The rabbit had no where else to go in the dessert; no food , no shelter. It died on spot but the man moved on.

The question to ponder is; did the man benefit by leaving the weak animal behind? His hunger and fatigue did not end. So when the time comes, we need to part ways without any rational reason. I heard this story when i was in school and since then always wondered; why did the man leave his pet behind.