Re: [silk] Dowry Act ??
On Tue, Jun 2, 2009 at 8:01 PM, Dr. John Marshall Johnson johnso...@gmail.com wrote: But how long wiil they toe the line ? What do my friends do, they both have been married for less than a year ? May have to wait for 7 years (I think the ACT is applicable for this period) and then REBEL ? Or toe along (they would have been conditioned by then) ?? Or perhaps, since all appears to be lost anyway, they can actually get down to beating their wives.
[silk] Introductions and Identity
I had an offlist conversation with a silklist member that got me thinking. Following the contretemps last year about multiple people ostensibly using a single email account, and what this does to the notion of identity online [1], this member was of the opinion that pseudonyms such as . or even lawnun should be discouraged on the list. I wasn't so sure, as I don't see why, for example, the string From: Udhay Shankar N is necessarily tied to the identity on my passport [2] - or even why this should matter, given that there is really no such thing as non-anonymous posting online. [3]. Lots more can be said about identity and anonymity, and no doubt will be said. One thing, however, struck me (given the core silklist principle of assuming goodwill). Might it not be a good idea to ask folks, including those who post as punctuation marks and Tolkien characters (yes, I'm looking at you, gandalf) to (re) introduce themselves, in the interest of letting the monkeyhouse know a little more about you? One could start with the newer members, but there is no need to restrict it to them. Feel free to inflict yourselves on the list all over again. :) Those who would like to be added the silklist community page [4], all you need to do is ask. Udhay [1] http://groups.yahoo.com/group/silk-list/message/25150 [2] http://groups.yahoo.com/group/silk-list/message/25252 [3] Context matters. There is no such thing as anonymous posting online, either, but that is a different profound truth and belongs in a different discussion. [4] http://silk.arachnis.com/community.html -- ((Udhay Shankar N)) ((udhay @ pobox.com)) ((www.digeratus.com))
Re: [silk] Introductions and Identity
Udhay Shankar N wrote: Lots more can be said about identity and anonymity, and no doubt will be said. One thing, however, struck me (given the core silklist principle of assuming goodwill). Might it not be a good idea to ask I attach more value to somebody posting under his or her proper name. It says you stand behind what you say. And it makes me believe I'm talking to a real person. I intensely dislike the schizophrenic results of multiple people using one email account to post on a list. As for me, my sig is there in all my mails. Regards, Madhu -- * Madhu Menon Shiok Far-eastern Cuisine | Moss Cocktail Lounge 96, Amar Jyoti Layout, Inner Ring Road, Bangalore @ http://shiokfood.comhttp://mosslounge.com Join the Moss group: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=39295417270
[silk] Places to visit in India during rains
I have been mostly a lurker on this list for a long time and have always been impressed by the depth of discussion on wide ranging topics. July 1st week onwards most of India is covered by monsoons. I have been recommended Kerala as a place to visit during monsoons, what should one do in Kerala . Suggestions are welcome. The idea is a quite getaway to one place from 1st to 10th of July and not a lot hectic travelling. Is Kochi a good place or is Thiruvananthapuram better. We would be flying in from Delhi. http://www.indiamike.com/india-articles/6_kerala-backwaters-a-cruise-on-budgets/ Quote They are very large natural lakes with endless branches and sub branches. Hundreds of kilometers of astonishingly scenic surroundings doted with thick palm grove and green paddy fields are the most common sight. Traveling (to be apt wandering or getting lost) by one is a sensation of lifetime. /Quote Any experiences or advice or caveats ? Thanks -Tarun
Re: [silk] Indian foodies
On Wednesday 03 Jun 2009 7:22:34 am Suresh Ramasubramanian wrote: and the pork you get in india, unless you pick and choose carefully, is likely to be one of the black pigs you see in slums, surviving off garbage piles .. You elitist, racist so and so!! It's the inside of the pig that's pink But seriously I have never seen a pink porky in India. As long as its cooked - fine. Otherwise we are looking at the pork tapeworm... And of course the other thing that never ceases to worry me in India - the cold chain. The only place that gives me confidence in this regard is Metro shiv
Re: [silk] Reading recommendations on the Anti Brahmin Movement
On Wed, Jun 3, 2009 at 12:40 AM, Sriram Karra ska...@gmail.com wrote: Are there any generally accepted 'seminal'/'critically acclaimed' books (preferably in English) on the anti-brahmin movement in Tamil Nadu? Funny you should ask, I was thinking about just this earlier this morning. I don't know about critically acclaimed, the Brahmins have for the most part adapted and moved on or moved out of the country rather than stand and fight. Therefore there isn't much stirring literature out there. I did order this off Amazon - haven't received it yet, Passions of the Tongue: Language Devotion in Tamil India, 1891-1970 (Studies on the History of Society and Culture , No 29) (Paperback) by Sumathi Ramaswamy http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0520208056/ It about the Tamil language and its role in the politics and culture of TN. The anti-brahmin movement in Tamil Nadu could really be seen as an anti-Sanskrit movement, and therefore this should make interesting reading. Cheeni
Re: [silk] Reading recommendations on the Anti Brahmin Movement
On Tue, Jun 2, 2009 at 9:40 PM, Sriram Karra ska...@gmail.com wrote: Are there any generally accepted 'seminal'/'critically acclaimed' books (preferably in English) on the anti-brahmin movement in Tamil Nadu? I have had MSS Pandian's _Brahmin and Non Brahmin_ in my to read pile for a while now: http://www.amazon.com/dp/8178241625 Thaths -- You'll have to speak up, I'm wearing a towel. -- Homer J. Simpson
Re: [silk] Introductions and Identity
On Wed, Jun 3, 2009 at 2:18 AM, Udhay Shankar N ud...@pobox.com wrote: I had an offlist conversation with a silklist member that got me thinking. Ah, the sweet irony of the complainant remaining anonymous to the rest of the list! Thaths -- You'll have to speak up, I'm wearing a towel. -- Homer J. Simpson
Re: [silk] Reading recommendations on the Anti Brahmin Movement
Hey Sriram, You could check out Navayana publishers and authors such as A.R. Venkatachalapathy and MSS Pandian. Will ask around for seminal or critically acclaimed works. :)
Re: [silk] Reading recommendations on the Anti Brahmin Movement
*MSS Pandian's _Brahmin and Non Brahmin_ in my to read pile* Oh. Responded before seeing this. :)
Re: [silk] Introductions and Identity
On Wed, Jun 3, 2009 at 2:48 PM, Udhay Shankar N ud...@pobox.com wrote: I had an offlist conversation with a silklist member that got me thinking. Following the contretemps last year about multiple people ostensibly using a single email account, and what this does to the notion of identity online [1], this member was of the opinion that pseudonyms such as . or even lawnun should be discouraged on the list. I wasn't so sure, as I don't see why, for example, the string From: Udhay Shankar N is necessarily tied to the identity on my passport [2] - or even why this should matter, given that there is really no such thing as non-anonymous posting online. [3]. Lots more can be said about identity and anonymity, and no doubt will be said. One thing, however, struck me (given the core silklist principle of assuming goodwill). Might it not be a good idea to ask folks, including those who post as punctuation marks and Tolkien characters (yes, I'm looking at you, gandalf) to (re) introduce themselves, in the interest of letting the monkeyhouse know a little more about you? Oh and for those who missed it, i introduced myself twice :) http://groups.yahoo.com/group/silk-list/message/24196 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/silk-list/message/24172 -- .
Re: [silk] Introductions and Identity
On Wed, Jun 3, 2009 at 3:28 PM, Madhu Menon c...@shiokfood.com wrote: Udhay Shankar N wrote: Lots more can be said about identity and anonymity, and no doubt will be said. One thing, however, struck me (given the core silklist principle of assuming goodwill). Might it not be a good idea to ask I attach more value to somebody posting under his or her proper name. It says you stand behind what you say. And it makes me believe I'm talking to a real person. ROTFLOL, when I read proper name, real person but since both qualifiers are present here[1]. So would you say this person is really who s/he claims to be? Most women on another unarchived women-only list agreed he is not who he claims to be[2]. After I joined, I was astonished when someone linked a photograph and also listed Hassath's address on the list in all their friendliness to welcome her. I dont know about her but I would have been upset if it happened to me, proper name and real person be damned :) [1] http://article.gmane.org/gmane.user-groups.linux.delhi/17939 [2] would be happy to explain this off-list for those interested, sans logs ofcourse and if we ever meet i _may_ let you read my inbox _if_ you ask nicely :) -- .
Re: [silk] Reading recommendations on the Anti Brahmin Movement
Recommendation from a friend: V. geetha and S.V.Rajadurai : Towards a non brahmin millenium.
Re: [silk] Indian foodies
On Tue, Jun 2, 2009 at 8:09 PM, Sumant Srivathsan suma...@gmail.com wrote: Fair enough. But you're a tiny minority in the local context, and therefore not a worthwhile investment for most high-ticket establishments. It would cost them too much to provide stuff that their competition already offers at a fraction of the cost. So it's more beneficial for them to cast a wider net. Down south, i'd assume a Saravana Bhavan and Darshini is what you mean by competition that offers it at a fraction of the cost. Well, I didn't find a jackfruit halwa or elai adai payasam (granted they both originate from kerala) on their menus. I learnt how to make puttu from a Srilankan lady but have never seen that on any restaurant menu in Chennai. The dishes i listed are not to be taken in the same vein as say a pongal or idli or dosa, especially because they require more time and effort to prepare and also in terms of difficulty level (the coconut milk curdling after you spend a few hours desiccating and slaving over adai pradaman is not fun). I dont know any restaurant that sells dhik/methi ladoo in Mumbai and the lady that makes them to order makes a neat profit from home. hmmpf... for the most part restaurants indulge in fusion cooking (chinese chilli idli is an assault on the palate) and restrict their menu to one or two big-ticket items. So its just the same old dhokla, dosa, idli, and other standard items that will sell fast, than a genuine presentation of traditional local dishes in a majority of Indian indian restaurants.. -- .
Re: [silk] Indian foodies
On Wed, Jun 3, 2009 at 11:49 AM, Anil Kumar anilkumar.naga...@gmail.com wrote: In New Delhi, if you are not particular about finding all [or most] of the above under one roof or in one establishment, may I suggest - Rajdhani in Connaught Place for the Rajasthani and Gujarati dishes that you mention [they have a fancier place in a Mall in Gurgaon]; two doors away from the CP outlet, you will find Saravana Bhavan serving adai pradhaman, halwa, chakli, rava ladoo. Check out Swagath in Defence Colony across town for the appams and neer dosas [Many years ago, I heard that State Government owned Kerala House serves good food; I don't know if that is still the same and if general public are allowed]. The canteen in Andhra Bhavan serves MLA Pesarattu for breakfast sometimes. Then there are the Farsan Outlets across the city that sell lasoon chutney and more of the Rajasthani and Gujarati stuff. cool, thanks. my delhi trip should be more interesting now :) -- .
Re: [silk] Indian foodies
Sangeetha in Adyar serves a pretty decent variety of true chettinad dishes - puttu among them. And adai pradhaman during onam too -Original Message- From: silklist-bounces+suresh=hserus@lists.hserus.net [mailto:silklist-bounces+suresh=hserus@lists.hserus.net] On Behalf Of . Sent: Wednesday, 3 June 2009 7:39 PM To: silklist@lists.hserus.net Subject: Re: [silk] Indian foodies didn't find a jackfruit halwa or elai adai payasam (granted they both originate from kerala) on their menus. I learnt how to make puttu from a Srilankan lady but have never seen that on any restaurant menu in Chennai.
Re: [silk] Dowry Act ??
On Tue, Jun 2, 2009 at 10:31 PM, Dr. John Marshall Johnson johnso...@gmail.com wrote: On Mon, Jun 1, 2009 at 7:04 AM, . svaks...@gmail.com wrote: I too know a few nice men who toe the line out of fear. But how long wiil they toe the line ? Quoting out-of-context tends to garble the conversation with unintended tangents but that is de riguer on any list /conversation so i can explain what i meant by toe the line -- The mere existence of the law is of no use unless it is implemented via a proper support system as here[0], which is sorely lacking in India. Here, some men (i've known) would not hesitate to abuse (physical, mental, verbal, et al) their wives simply because they CAN and WILL get away with it, despite the law. That does not imply that ALL wives will automatically misuse the law or that abuse is absent in developed nations. Its extremely relative and subjective so sweeping generalizations dont help and i'll try to use another example here: The first time i travelled by bus in chennai, i saw half the bus reserved for women and if the side was full and you sat on the men's side and a man happened to be sitting there he would get up in a hurry. I was most offended by the unequal treatment. It didnt seem special at all. Back home, BEST (in Mumbai) was more 'equal' as we fought, scratched, pulled, elbowed and squeezed our way into a space which didnt exist. Then I grew up and realised that all men are not chivalrous enough and would not hesitate to grab the seat you just offered to a pregnant lady or an aged person. BEST buses now have 3 rows for women, two for aged and disabled people and yet perfectly healthy young men will argue if 60 or 65 years defines a senior citizen. Most are smart to not ask a woman if she is one. The point is, most (not all) folks have a skewed sense of reality, entitlement, equality, etc... and i dont know why that is but it is. [0] http://ostraya.livejournal.com/283571.html What do my friends do, they both have been married for less than a year ? tbh, i dont know :) -- .
Re: [silk] Reading recommendations on the Anti Brahmin Movement
On Wed, Jun 3, 2009 at 7:02 PM, Sruthi Krishnan srukr...@gmail.com wrote: Hey Sriram, You could check out Navayana publishers IMO Navayana seems to have a 'bring out the Dalit voice' slant, although their stated mission is wider - one I hope they will fulfill in the years to come. I have read two of their publications - The Dalit Dairy and Dalits in Dravidian Land - both are compilations of articles that appeared elsewhere. At any rate, their current catalog does not have something on the topic I am after. and authors such as A.R. Venkatachalapathy and MSS Pandian. Will ask around for seminal or critically acclaimed works. :) Thaths, Sruthi, thanks. will check out your recommendations. -- Sriram Karra You don't quit your job because you don't like it; you just go in and do it really half assed. -Homer Simpson
Re: [silk] Introductions and Identity
Thaths wrote, [on 6/3/2009 7:02 PM]: I had an offlist conversation with a silklist member that got me thinking. Ah, the sweet irony of the complainant remaining anonymous to the rest of the list! Well, I made the call to not reveal the name of the member. And it wasn't a complaint per se - at least, that wasn't my motivation in posting this to the list. I saw an *opportunity* to discuss the notion of identity and pseudonymity. Am I making sense? Udhay -- ((Udhay Shankar N)) ((udhay @ pobox.com)) ((www.digeratus.com))
Re: [silk] Places to visit in India during rains
On Wed, Jun 3, 2009 at 4:42 PM, Tarun Dua li...@tarundua.net wrote: travelling. Is Kochi a good place or is Thiruvananthapuram better. We would be flying in from Delhi. Any experiences or advice or caveats ? Munnar and Wayanad ? i usually avoid monsoons so no wise words here. -- .
Re: [silk] Introductions and Identity
--- On Wed, 3/6/09, Udhay Shankar N ud...@pobox.com wrote: From: Udhay Shankar N ud...@pobox.com Subject: Re: [silk] Introductions and Identity To: silklist@lists.hserus.net Date: Wednesday, 3 June, 2009, 8:29 PM Thaths wrote, [on 6/3/2009 7:02 PM]: I had an offlist conversation with a silklist member that got me thinking. Ah, the sweet irony of the complainant remaining anonymous to the rest of the list! Well, I made the call to not reveal the name of the member. And it wasn't a complaint per se - at least, that wasn't my motivation in posting this to the list. I saw an *opportunity* to discuss the notion of identity and pseudonymity. Am I making sense? Udhay -- ((Udhay Shankar N)) ((udhay @ pobox.com)) ((www.digeratus.com)) No. Almost everybody knows everybody. If a new person appears, we can always look that person up in the introduction. As far as the old f**ts are concerned, does anybody really want to know? Or care? And what difference does it make whether it is bonobashi or Indrajit Gupta making a point? Are you looking at the logic and the point itself, or the antecedents of the point maker? Much ado about nothing. Explore and discover exciting holidays and getaways with Yahoo! India Travel http://in.travel.yahoo.com/
Re: [silk] Places to visit in India during rains
On Wed, Jun 3, 2009 at 8:40 PM, . svaks...@gmail.com wrote: On Wed, Jun 3, 2009 at 4:42 PM, Tarun Dua li...@tarundua.net wrote: travelling. Is Kochi a good place or is Thiruvananthapuram better. We would be flying in from Delhi. Any experiences or advice or caveats ? Munnar and Wayanad ? i usually avoid monsoons so no wise words here. I would also avoid the monsoons and go to Ladakh one more time. -- Vinayak
Re: [silk] Introductions and Identity
On Wed, Jun 3, 2009 at 8:29 PM, Udhay Shankar N ud...@pobox.com wrote: Am I making sense? Udhay On this list, that's really leading with your chin, Vod ka Raja! While talking about members posting under pseudonyms, I would also like to raise the issue of how many members ARE on this list. It's just my preference, I suppose, but on all egroups that I moderate, I generally update, and regularly circulate, the list of members; sometimes with just their email ids and contact nos, or with a more social list, their postal addresses and names of family members too. This certainly (to my mind) increases the feeling of community. I actually joined one egroup which consists entirely of psuedonyms (ok, ok, it's the Wodehouse egroup) and gave up as I found I had NO clue as to what their real identities were. I didn't really appreciate talking to Psmith or the Empress of Blandings without knowing them at all! On LJ, where I post, too, I have got to know almost my entire friends circle by their actual names and identities, even if I may not refer to them that way on the blog. Very often, I desist from making a comment (no cheering allowed) because I wonder if it will be relevant to the whole mailing list, which ought to be the case (I can't abide A telling B on the egroup that just the two of them can meet at C location!)...on this list, I have absolutely no idea of who many of the members (except for some celebrities and some regular posters) areit's like being in a water body with no idea of its depth, somehow. That doesn't prevent me from opening my big mouth wide and often, of course, but...just saying I am not an archive-miner either; so I tend to participate in the present threads, and I lack U's prodigious memory for threads, opinions, and ee tee ceeso if anyone would like to introduce or re-introduce themselves, that *would* be a big plus for me. Anyone else who shares this opinion? Or do people *like* the way other personalities remain anonymous? If that were the case, why are FoU meets popular? Cheers, Deepa.
Re: [silk] Introductions and Identity
On Wed, Jun 3, 2009 at 8:52 PM, Indrajit Gupta bonoba...@yahoo.co.inwrote: Almost everybody knows everybody. No, Wood Dweller, I don't, at least. Remember, I did email you and got to know you a little more as a person. If a new person appears, we can always look that person up in the introduction. As far as the old f**ts are concerned, does anybody really want to know? Or care? I donot a nuptial vow, just saying, yes, I do care who is reading my views, and who they actually are. And what difference does it make whether it is bonobashi or Indrajit Gupta making a point? Are you looking at the logic and the point itself, or the antecedents of the point maker? This is a point, O Pointmaker. but...I don't think, IG, one can really be that clinical about a discussion. The person who airs a point of view is as important to me as the point of view itself. I have joined a group of interesting people to quote U's definition of this list, not just a group of viewpoints. Much ado about nothing. You mean the other threads on this list are all profound and very meaningful? I cite some of the things I have said as refutation Deepa.
Re: [silk] Places to visit in India during rains
I had replied to this thread earlier but since I attached a brochure for a place called Zuri near Kumarakom it won;t go through till Udhay is kind enough to permit it. He might not since he isn't a fan of attachments. In any event, Zuri is an excellent option from what I can tell. i'll send you the brochure offlist. On Wed, Jun 3, 2009 at 8:57 PM, Vinayak Hegde vinay...@gmail.com wrote: On Wed, Jun 3, 2009 at 8:40 PM, . svaks...@gmail.com wrote: On Wed, Jun 3, 2009 at 4:42 PM, Tarun Dua li...@tarundua.net wrote: travelling. Is Kochi a good place or is Thiruvananthapuram better. We would be flying in from Delhi. Any experiences or advice or caveats ? Munnar and Wayanad ? i usually avoid monsoons so no wise words here. I would also avoid the monsoons and go to Ladakh one more time. -- Vinayak
Re: [silk] Indian foodies
On Wed, Jun 3, 2009 at 7:39 PM, . svaks...@gmail.com wrote: . I learnt how to make puttu from a Srilankan lady Isn't puttu a very laborious thing to make? In the Tambram community it used to be made to celebrate a girl's menarche, but I remember it as being most time-consuming. Full-stop, could you send me the recipe offlist if this is not so? hmmpf... for the most part restaurants indulge in fusion cooking (chinese chilli idli is an assault on the palate) ah. the old controversy. Is it bad per se, or is it part of the way food continues evolving? and restrict their menu to one or two big-ticket items. So its just the same old dhokla, dosa, idli, and other standard items that will sell fast, than a genuine presentation of traditional local dishes in a majority of Indian indian restaurants.. Most eateries just cannot afford to have more than the popular stuff. After all, they need to clear inventory and make a profit. I have a friend in Bangalore who, about 15 years ago, started an office-lunch catering service with her friend. Among the various reasons that the venture folded up was the fact that often she would send out pasta, salads, and the like. Customer feedback said that they wanted their regular DRC (Dal Roti Chawal) and didn't take kindly to anything else. (Other reasons provided on request.) Even today, there is a huge demand for the regular-menu home catering, especially for elder and ill people who cannot cook for themselves and who cannot, or don't want to, eat out all the time. But what they, too, want, is homely food. Deepa. -- .
Re: [silk] Places to visit in India during rains
On Wed, Jun 3, 2009 at 8:57 PM, Vinayak Hegde vinay...@gmail.com wrote: Munnar and Wayanad ? i usually avoid monsoons so no wise words here. I would also avoid the monsoons and go to Ladakh one more time. tch, tch, the one time of year when water is plentiful in our country, at least from the skiesGoa, Kerala, and Karnataka, especially the Western Ghats, are all awesome during the monsoons. If you are going to a wildlife resort in the Western Ghats, though, be prepared for leeches! You can avoid them if you are careful, and have a wonderful time. I grew in a state where the literature is quite obsessed by the monsoon; and lived in another which doesn't have a proper summer monsoon, and has an Orrible winter one in just the two months that the weather is somewhat bearableso I do love the monsoon. Deepa.
Re: [silk] Places to visit in India during rains
On Wed, Jun 3, 2009 at 4:12 AM, Tarun Dua li...@tarundua.net wrote: I have been mostly a lurker on this list for a long time and have always been impressed by the depth of discussion on wide ranging topics. July 1st week onwards most of India is covered by monsoons. I have been recommended Kerala as a place to visit during monsoons, what should one do in Kerala . Suggestions are welcome. The idea is a quite getaway to one place from 1st to 10th of July and not a lot hectic travelling. Is Kochi a good place or is Thiruvananthapuram better. We would be flying in from Delhi. Search the archives for a thread started by Charles Hayes about Kochi / Kerala recommendations. My personal favorite places to stay in Fort Kochi are: The Old Courtyard Inn, The Tower House and Le Colonial (the latter two by Neemrana Hotels). Lunch at the Brunton Boatyard [1] is also very good. Thaths [1] http://www.cghearth.com/brunton_boatyard/index.htm -- You'll have to speak up, I'm wearing a towel. -- Homer J. Simpson
Re: [silk] Places to visit in India during rains
On Wed, Jun 3, 2009 at 9:27 PM, Deepa Mohan mohande...@gmail.com wrote: On Wed, Jun 3, 2009 at 8:57 PM, Vinayak Hegde vinay...@gmail.com wrote: Munnar and Wayanad ? i usually avoid monsoons so no wise words here. I would also avoid the monsoons and go to Ladakh one more time. tch, tch, the one time of year when water is plentiful in our country, at least from the skiesGoa, Kerala, and Karnataka, especially the Western Ghats, are all awesome during the monsoons. If you are going to a wildlife resort in the Western Ghats, though, be prepared for leeches! You can avoid them if you are careful, and have a wonderful time. Hmm you forgot the stretch between Mumbai and Pune (I have done some really good treks there) and the Konkan region. It's just that my appetite for trekking in the monsoons has been sated. That said the best time to visit would be just after the rains (Mid-September onwards) when there is enough water flowing in the brooks and the waterfalls. to each his own :) -- Vinayak
Re: [silk] Indian foodies
At 2009-06-03 21:13:13 +0530, mohande...@gmail.com wrote: Isn't puttu a very laborious thing to make? There must be two things with the same name and very different natures, then. The puttu I know of is easy to make. Rice flour, grated coconut, salt, steam (in a cylindrical metal container that sits nicely on the pressure cooker's nozzle), done. Perfect for a hurried breakfast. I know the Malayalam name of said metal container, but I can't write it in English without making it sound like a small child (kutti). -- ams
Re: [silk] Indian foodies
On Wed, Jun 3, 2009 at 9:44 PM, Abhijit Menon-Sen a...@toroid.org wrote: salt, steam (in a cylindrical metal container that sits nicely on the Another way to make it is to use a coconut shell. Poke a hole through one of the eyes and sit that on the pressure cooker nozzle. -- Please read our new blog at: http://blog.prathambooks.org
Re: [silk] Indian foodies
On Wed, Jun 3, 2009 at 9:44 PM, Abhijit Menon-Sen a...@toroid.org wrote: At 2009-06-03 21:13:13 +0530, mohande...@gmail.com wrote: Isn't puttu a very laborious thing to make? There must be two things with the same name and very different natures, then. The puttu I know of is easy to make. Rice flour, grated coconut, salt, steam (in a cylindrical metal container that sits nicely on the pressure cooker's nozzle), done. Perfect for a hurried breakfast. Please...offlist if necessary...send me the recipe, meaning, the proportions, for this. Sounds like a perfect b'fast to make here, halfway around the world from home I know the Malayalam name of said metal container, but I can't write it in English without making it sound like a small child (kutti). But tell me some substitute for the kutti (is that a child or a lady dog?) or a coconut-shell, both of which are not available here... Deepa. -- ams
Re: [silk] Indian foodies
Please send me the puttu recipe as well as the jackfruit halwa as well. although I don't know where i would find the jackfruit in Canada!!! Recently tried an amazing little desert with sweet potato slices, cardommon powder, crushed pistachio and Kahlua Coffee liqueur.
Re: [silk] Indian foodies
On Wed, Jun 3, 2009 at 12:26 AM, Suresh Ramasubramanian sur...@hserus.net wrote: [...] Which is the mindset of a lot of Indians (or the stereotypical Americans in Paris who make a beeline for McDonalds and bagels instead of trying croissants and espresso). Bagels? In Paris? That I'd have to see. I have a colleague in Paris who has a standing instruction of any visitors from America to bring bagels and cream cheese.
Re: [silk] Places to visit in India during rains
Goa is stunning in the monsoon.as is Orissa-Bhubaneshwar by rickshaw in the rain On Wed, Jun 3, 2009 at 9:05 AM, Vinayak Hegde vinay...@gmail.com wrote: On Wed, Jun 3, 2009 at 9:27 PM, Deepa Mohan mohande...@gmail.com wrote: On Wed, Jun 3, 2009 at 8:57 PM, Vinayak Hegde vinay...@gmail.com wrote: Munnar and Wayanad ? i usually avoid monsoons so no wise words here. I would also avoid the monsoons and go to Ladakh one more time. tch, tch, the one time of year when water is plentiful in our country, at least from the skiesGoa, Kerala, and Karnataka, especially the Western Ghats, are all awesome during the monsoons. If you are going to a wildlife resort in the Western Ghats, though, be prepared for leeches! You can avoid them if you are careful, and have a wonderful time. Hmm you forgot the stretch between Mumbai and Pune (I have done some really good treks there) and the Konkan region. It's just that my appetite for trekking in the monsoons has been sated. That said the best time to visit would be just after the rains (Mid-September onwards) when there is enough water flowing in the brooks and the waterfalls. to each his own :) -- Vinayak
Re: [silk] Indian foodies
On Wed, Jun 3, 2009 at 9:44 AM, Radhika, Y. radhik...@gmail.com wrote: Please send me the puttu recipe as well as the jackfruit halwa as well. although I don't know where i would find the jackfruit in Canada!!! Try your local Chinese/Asian grocery stores. I find both fresh unripe and ripe jackfruit here in the bay area in some of the Indian grocery stores and the Asian grocery chains like Ranch 99. The ever reliable Berkeley Bowl also has it in stock sometimes. The shelf life of jackfruit is only a couple of days. Refrigiration does not help much in extending this beyond a couple of extra days. You can also find cans of ripe jackfruit slices in light sauce (which you can mostly wash off) from Thailand or Vietnam at these stores. Thaths -- You'll have to speak up, I'm wearing a towel. -- Homer J. Simpson
Re: [silk] Introductions and Identity
On Wed, Jun 3, 2009 at 10:00 AM, . svaks...@gmail.com wrote: [...] After I joined, I was astonished when someone linked a photograph and also listed Hassath's address on the list in all their friendliness to welcome her. I dont know about her but I would have been upset if it happened to me, proper name and real person be damned :) Ahem, that bit about the address, that would be me, and I think I've apologized a few times to all parties concerned. It was at least to me an intellectual exercise in proving a point that went wrong. Perhaps because the list of members, as Deepa points out, is semi-transparent, Silk remains the smallish list I joined many years ago where I knew most people IRL. Of course it is not the case, and there are all sorts of 'strangers' who read it on the public archives and never subscribe and all that. If I really paid any attention to the size of the list and the number of strangers (to me) on it, I would probably clam up and never participate. Cheeni
Re: [silk] Places to visit in India during rains
2009/6/3 Vinayak Hegde vinay...@gmail.com I would also avoid the monsoons and go to Ladakh one more time. Lucky me. I am going to Ladakh in July. -- Kiran Jonnalagadda http://jace.zaiki.in/
Re: [silk] Places to visit in India during rains
On Wed, Jun 3, 2009 at 10:59 PM, Kiran Jonnalagadda j...@pobox.com wrote: 2009/6/3 Vinayak Hegde vinay...@gmail.com I would also avoid the monsoons and go to Ladakh one more time. Lucky me. I am going to Ladakh in July. Ah nice. I hope you know about the Hemis festival (12-13 July 2009). Try not to miss that. Other things to see would be the Tsomoriri Tso and Pangong Tso (overnight stay at one of these should be on one's bucket-list). Try to do the Delhi-Manali-Leh-Lamyaru-Kargil-Srinagar-Jammu-Delhi route if you have 2-3 weeks. Mail me offlist if you want more details. -- Vinayak
Re: [silk] Introductions and Identity
--- On Wed, 3/6/09, Deepa Mohan mohande...@gmail.com wrote: From: Deepa Mohan mohande...@gmail.com Subject: Re: [silk] Introductions and Identity To: silklist@lists.hserus.net Date: Wednesday, 3 June, 2009, 11:47 PM On Wed, Jun 3, 2009 at 10:40 PM, Srini RamaKrishnan che...@gmail.comwrote: On Wed, Jun 3, 2009 at 10:00 AM, . svaks...@gmail.com wrote: Ahem, that bit about the address, that would be me, and I think I've apologized a few times to all parties concerned. It was at least to me an intellectual exercise in proving a point that went wrong. Ahem, thread driftthere should be a rule that when someone has apologized, sincerely and publicly, more than twice, s/he should not feel guilty about it,ever again. If only this could actually come to pass, I could take my feet out and start tasting other things. Back to original thread. KK please note! If I really paid any attention to the size of the list and the number of strangers (to me) on it, I would probably clam up and never participate. Yes, sometimes the thought of who else, apart from those I know, is reading this? is daunting, but then I think that everything that I type on the net is writing on the wall. Deepa. And so I am blissfully happy writing as bonobashi, because everybody on the list knows who I am, and nobody off the list knows. Explore and discover exciting holidays and getaways with Yahoo! India Travel http://in.travel.yahoo.com/
Re: [silk] Places to visit in India during rains
I would also avoid the monsoons and go to Ladakh one more time. Ladakh was my first thought but my better half doesn't like very cold places so Kerala it is. -Tarun
Re: [silk] Indian foodies
At 2009-06-03 22:09:54 +0530, mohande...@gmail.com wrote: Please...offlist if necessary...send me the recipe, meaning, the proportions, for this. I saw no reason to take it off-list, especially since Radhika wants the recipe too. You use approximately twice as much fine rice powder as (preferably fresh, but we've often used frozen too) grated coconut. You have to wet the rice a little (you want wet rice powder, not dough) and mix with the coconut and salt to taste. Layer them roughly inside the magic cylinder. Personally, I put in a tiny bit more salt than one might normally think necessary, because then you can eat the resulting puttu on its own, and it's delicious. Otherwise you eat it with sugar. Or a banana. Or kadala curry, of course. But tell me some substitute for the kutti Ah well, now if you don't have a small cylindrical metal child handy… let me describe the process, and you can improvise. The device is meant to hold the raw material in its cylindrical shape while conveying steam through it. What one does is to put a little water in a pressure cooker, switch it on and put the cylinder—open—on the spout. When steam starts to come out of the top, you put the lid on the cylinder and steam it for 5min. You might try adding a tiny bit more water to the mixture, and moulding it into laddoo-like things for steaming. Or maybe you could steam them in an idli dish, if you have one of those. You won't get cylindrical puttu, but it should taste just as good. You'll have to experiment with the timing. The properly cooked puttu should hold together, but be moist and a little crumbly. ., is your recipe different? -- ams
Re: [silk] Indian foodies
On Thu, Jun 4, 2009 at 7:41 AM, Abhijit Menon-Sen a...@toroid.org wrote: At 2009-06-03 22:09:54 +0530, mohande...@gmail.com wrote: Please...offlist if necessary...send me the recipe, meaning, the proportions, for this. I saw no reason to take it off-list, especially since Radhika wants the recipe too. OK. You use approximately twice as much fine rice powder as (preferably fresh, but we've often used frozen too) grated coconut. You have to wet the rice a little (you want wet rice powder, not dough) and mix with the coconut and salt to taste. Layer them roughly inside the magic cylinder. Personally, I put in a tiny bit more salt than one might normally think necessary, because then you can eat the resulting puttu on its own, and it's delicious. Otherwise you eat it with sugar. Or a banana. Or kadala curry, of course. Fine. All this I understand. But tell me some substitute for the kutti Ah well, now if you don't have a small cylindrical metal child handy… let me describe the process, and you can improvise. The device is meant to hold the raw material in its cylindrical shape while conveying steam through it. What one does is to put a little water in a pressure cooker, switch it on and put the cylinder—open—on the spout. When steam starts to come out of the top, you put the lid on the cylinder and steam it for 5min. Now this part I don't. What do you mean, put the vessel on the spout? My pressure cooker has a body and a lid with a spout that spews out water vapour. Am I supposed to put it on top of the lid, on top of the spout? Or steam it in the body of the presssure cooker as usual? And...I don't have a cylinder (not even one I gave birth to), far less a lid...what do I do? You might try adding a tiny bit more water to the mixture, and moulding it into laddoo-like things for steaming. Or maybe you could steam them in an idli dish, if you have one of those. You won't get cylindrical puttu, but it should taste just as good. You'll have to experiment with the timing. The properly cooked puttu should hold together, but be moist and a little crumbly. OK, I'll try doing thiscan I use idli plates? Inside the pressure cooker which will be closed but not have the weight on? ., is your recipe different? Tambram puttu is made with chhana dal (gram dal) , and enormously different from, and enormously more laborious than, this puttu you have described Thanks, will let you know how this turned out. Radhika! I want your dessert recipe now. Please. I am not a creative cook, and need a stimulus package of recipes Deepa.
Re: [silk] Indian foodies
At 2009-06-04 07:49:55 +0530, mohande...@gmail.com wrote: What do you mean, put the vessel on the spout? My pressure cooker has a body and a lid with a spout that spews out water vapour. Am I supposed to put it on top of the lid, on top of the spout? Yes. The cylinder has a hole in the bottom which fits over the spout. OK, I'll try doing thiscan I use idli plates? Inside the pressure cooker which will be closed but not have the weight on? Yeah, that's what I meant. I don't know how well it works (or how long it'll need to be cooked in there), but it's certainly worth trying. -- ams
Re: [silk] Indian foodies
Thanks Abhijit! am looking forward to trying those two. HI Deepa, my recipe is very simple. just a result of being diabetic and being unable to eat anything with more than 4 grams of sugar per serving (preferably no refined but 4 grams is worst case). slice sweet potato - delicately brush on both sides or one or put a couple of drops of Kahlua chocolate liqueur (this just depends on how much you want). sprinkle crushed cardommom and pistachios and bake the dish for 20 mins (once sweet potato is sliced quite thin - it doesn't take long to bake!). if you want to sweeten it further serve with whipped cream! enjoyI served this to my aunt who is diabetic and has an amazing sweet tooth and she tested herself before and after, doing quite well. of course, this assumes a measly portion of 2 slices!!! Enjoy!
Re: [silk] Introductions and Identity
At 2009-06-03 14:48:40 +0530, ud...@pobox.com wrote: this member was of the opinion that pseudonyms such as . or even lawnun should be discouraged on the list. I've thought about this question often, but my feelings are complicated and may be somewhat contradictory. (I've never tried to write them down before, and I'm not sure I can explain them well, but I'll try.) In this context, I interact with people on a variety of mailing lists, ranging from technical lists (which I think of as work at some level, even on a casual open source project's list) to more social lists (such as the delhibird list, which is still technical but less connected to work in my mind), to lists like silk (not work at all); and IRC. Broadly speaking, the kinds of people in these places range from those who always use real (or real-sounding) names to those who use nicknames (in this category I include people who use only an email address that doesn't obviously correspond to a name, of which there are many) to those who use obvious pseudonyms and make a concerted effort to keep their identity a secret. In a way, I feel I should react the same way to people across the whole spectrum. I *know* that real-sounding names may be fake or even actively misleading; and I know that people who insist on their anonymity may do so for good reasons, and I don't grudge them that. Nevertheless, I do find myself reacting differently sometimes. I can relate to how Madhu feels, but I draw the line in a very different place, and more softly. People who use pseudonyms range from people like lawnun and bonobashi, who use their nicknames consistently but make no effort to keep their real identity a secret; to people who use nicknames but whose identity is unknown to me, and not obvious from their communications; to people who, for lack of a better way to explain, make a big deal of keeping their identity a secret. (Again, this is a spectrum, and not discrete classes; there are plenty of people who lie in between.) In general, I don't react negatively to pseudonyms at all, even when I don't know who the people behind them are. But I find myself becoming more and more uncomfortable as I approach the hardcore anonymity end of the scale. I've felt guilty about that, and trained myself to not be bothered about it to the extent that I can cooperate with such people. But I would definitely be more comfortable speaking to someone named Udhay. (There have been people elsewhere on the scale who made me uncomfortable in the past, but I can't think of any examples now.) When I say react negatively, I mean to the name itself. Of course, I don't *like* some of the people who use pseudonyms, but I don't dislike them *because* they use pseudonyms (of that I'm sure). Still, I can't be entirely sure that if I don't like someone (for any other reason), their place on the pseudonymity scale doesn't reinforce my not liking them. In other words, I may be less forgiving of an annoying pseudonymous person than of an annoying nymous person. I do know that I'm less bothered by pseudonymity on lists I don't think of as work, but that difference is usually quite small. Aside: . should classify with lawnun and bonobashi, but it bothers me because I can't read or write it as a word. It's a syntactical problem, though, not one of identity: va was better, but so would qx be. I'm just not comfortable writing ., to address a person, but apart from that it goes in the bonobashi pile, and I have no problem with it. I can also relate to how Deepa feels in posting to a list where she doesn't know who else the subscribers are. I have to do that all the time, of course, so I've become used to it; but I've noticed that the reluctance is still there somewhere, sometimes. -- ams P.S. It really bothers me that it took eight paragraphs to explain how I feel about this, and then quite poorly, with a fair bit of handwaving. Oh well. Life would be different if everyone used serial numbers.
Re: [silk] Introductions and Identity
On Thu, Jun 4, 2009 at 9:26 AM, Abhijit Menon-Sen a...@toroid.org wrote: At 2009-06-03 14:48:40 +0530, ud...@pobox.com wrote: I've thought about this question often, but my feelings are complicated and may be somewhat contradictory. (I've never tried to write them down before, and I'm not sure I can explain them well, but I'll try.) P.S. It really bothers me that it took eight paragraphs to explain how I feel about this, and then quite poorly, with a fair bit of handwaving. It may bother YOU, ams, but I think that was a very articulate piece of writing, hand-waving or not. It sort of crystallized, for me, why I don't feel comfortable with pseudonyms unless I take the effort to know the person behind it. I think that dates me. However, that said, as long as one person continues to use the same psuedonym, the personality and general range of opinions and views does come through over a period of time, and a picture of that person is built uplike all pictures, sometimes accurate, sometimes not. And U, I don't see any re-introductions! Thanks, ams! Deepa.
Re: [silk] Introductions and Identity
On Thu, Jun 4, 2009 at 9:50 AM, Udhay Shankar N ud...@pobox.com wrote: Data point: I think of you as 'crab'. I mean, I know what your real name is, it's just that I first knew you as crab, and crab has stuck in my head. Similarly, but conversely (if you know what I mean) I first knew Kiran and not jace, so Kiran he is, to me. That's an intriguing thing you've said, Udhay. On this list Kiran/Jace is someone I refer to by both names; a real-life ( I refuse to type IRL) friend is now generally referred to by his blog name; I have known Shiv by another name for several decades but now refer to him as Shiv (though it is a British slang term for a knife) and also, when I know someone and feel very comfortable with them, I start giving them nicknames...(my daughter has 22 or so nicknames).so let me examine this point you've raised. Deepa.
Re: [silk] Indian foodies
On Jun 2, 2009, at 8:39 PM, Radhika, Y. wrote: I really miss Japanese in India - not just brown rice sushi, but the Izakaya stuff: great eggplant, pork in asparagus skin.imagine Peruvian ceviche in India sigh...on the other hand here in canada, people are advocating the 100 mile diet - I can't stand it and refuse to go back to pre-industrial Europe without spice! thank god Sarvanna bhavan arrived in Vancouver to save us south indians! now if only they could serve pesarattu and gongura mutton! well, not together! I do not think I could do a 100 mile diet. There are few places in the world where a modern, diverse, civilized diet could be achieved with such things. I live in one of the few areas where it is possible in theory, but I like my diversity. My routine pantry spans the globe. I also have an expansive herb and spice garden outside that I would be reluctant to give up. That said, western Canada has excellent food for the most part, far better than they are often given credit for. I have very few bad meals up there, and I consider a few cities (such as Calgary) to be very under-rated in the global restaurant scene. There are some types of ethnic food which are hopeless, but if you know to avoid them the rest is alright. :-) Cheers, J. Andrew Rogers
Re: [silk] Places to visit in India during rains
I have had some very good experiences in Sikkim, and can strongly recommend a lovely place to stay called The Hidden Forest Retreat. Google (or Bing?) for the details. Goa is also lovely in August-lots of rains, few tourists. On Thu, Jun 4, 2009 at 1:19 AM, Srini RamaKrishnan che...@gmail.com wrote: I've been to Sikkim during the monsoon and absolutely loved it. YMMV. There's lots of home stays and some of them are very very nice and are out of the tourist path. I would love to head to Sikkim some time again but not in the monsoon since it would be specifically to hike.
