A cup of Assam Tea

There are days when my taste buds ask for something rustic, rugged, totally country style, something that brings that nostalgic flavor, more precisely, brings me to our home kitchen in Assam, my grandma's kitchen, my mama's kitchen. Yup, sesame chicken is in my mind. My Assamese taste buds are so amicable with till or sesame seeds; name a festival or staple cooking time, and it is a desirable ingredient. I love that in today's new age, healthy cooking promotes and incorporates seed-eating, especially sesame, for numerous health benefits, which I was fortunate enough to grow up eating. Once you taste this exotic dish with its rustic and nutty flavor, you will definitely try it again. Today I am sharing my recipe.. Have you tried Assamese Chicken Curry . Ingredients 2 lb chicken cut into medium-sized pieces with bone 5 tablespoons of till or sesame 3 tablespoons mustard oil or olive oil, you can use any other cooking oil too but I love to use thick oil as...

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, most of us are almost losing our sanity. However, going outdoors with proper precautions and spending some time in nature can help unwind and uplift the mood a little.  A few weeks back, I was mesmerized in the  Rose Garden .    Behold...about 30 miles south of Hartford, the capital of Connecticut, enfolds a little slice of a dream called Lavender Pond Farm in Killingworth, CT.  Well, bedded with demure, scented, delicate, and colored thousands of lavender flowers, they bring smiles to anyone's face and enlighten the mind to melt away your stress level. In a white gazebo in the center, where you can gaze at the lavender or capture photo moments, benches to sit, and colorful beehives, smitten by the beauty of flowers, are just not the only facts that make you fall in love with this place. But an exotic pond with water lilies and a little covered bridge, a scenic walk to unfold the se...

The alluring and entrancing architectural delight on both sides of Asylum Avenue, West Hartford, as you approach Elizabeth Park, evokes a sense of serenity and peace within. Elizabeth Park's greenery and lots of unique and interesting variety of tree tapestry and ponds are a nature lover's or hiker's delight, or someone like me who often, at this time of the year, visits when the blooms of the roses create a rhapsody of colors in the Rose Garden at Elizabeth Park.                 Meticulously and aesthetically put together rose arches, gazebos, and a vivid variety and color of blooming roses can take your breath away at first sight. Widely known for wedding and engagement photoshoots, this park can be an ideal picnic spot. Home to 15,000 rose bushes and 800 varieties of roses across 2.5 acres of the park, it is the oldest municipal rose garden in the United States and the third-largest in the country. It was opened i...

There are those wispy winter evenings or sultry summer evenings in our wide courtyard ; my brother and I used to wait eagerly for  Deuta  (Dad) to come back from work and bring something for us to eat. Piping hot samosas to aromatic dry fruit ladoos from the local joints. After years of moving to the USA, when I visit my parents, Deuta eagerly waits at the airport with the happiness of meeting me in teary eyes, looking at my face steadily and lovingly.            Over the past 18 years, I often spoke to him, but I never had the urge to wish him a Happy Father's Day. Probably in our generation, growing up in India, celebrating Father's Day was not the norm; however, my two children here in the USA celebrate Father's Day with great zeal alongside their wonderful dad.  Deuta  was always there in my failure, in my success, in my happiness, and in my sadness.  It has been almost six months since losing him, and life has suddenly...

Mangoes in the Indian summer are ubiquitous. Mango is not a fruit, but the mermaid of memories and emotions. An avid enthusiast farmer, my grandfather planted numerous trees in our huge backyard at home in Assam and every season bestowed upon them the best fruits or vegetables. We had different varieties of mangoes in our yard.  Aqua Vintage Mason Jars However, unlike other states in India, we don't have a high quality of mangoes, yet we have sufficient local mango varieties to satisfy our taste buds. The different shapes, sizes, and colors of mangoes appeal to both my eyes and my heart.  In early summer or late spring, the wind takes out small, tender mangoes, and we played with those mangoes with my friends. It transports me home, thinking about how my mom used to make raw chutney with just freshly plucked mint and green chili, adding a hint of salt, and grinding them together. A hearty chutney was ready in a jiffy. In the sultry summer in Assam, when somebo...

   In an industry like Bollywood, it's all about page three and glamour. But Irrfan Khan defined real, authentic, and was all about raw talent. He made his mark in global cinema, yet he was more of an actor than a star. His success is a fruit of resilience and hard work.  Started Journey from many iconic Indian TV series like "Bharat Ek khoj", "Star Bestseller", "Shrikant", to Global cinema-like Life of Pi, The Warrior, Jurassic World, Inferno, The Namesake, watching him on screen is sheer bliss for any moviegoer. Recipient of Padmashree, the 4th highest Civilian Award in India, Irrfan Khan's impeccable dialogue delivery, exclusive comic timing, and soulful and subtle romance will remain in our hearts forever.  Losing Irrfan Khan untimely on 29th April 2020 is an irreparable loss. Born in Jaipur on January 7, 1967, Irrfan's departure was mourned by the entire nation as a personal loss, as he had paved a path for many. His legacy of one-...

It has been more than two months since I haven't dressed up. I can't believe it, because I always love to dress up and go out. Just today we completed 18 years of married life. 18 years is a long time, yes our togetherness in adulthood. Never had an anniversary like this where you can't go out because of safety in the times of COVID-19 .  We prepared a special meal followed by a homemade cake. Now coming to the dressing part, a simple sea-green chanderi saree which always reminds me of serenity and tranquility. The feather-like feel and texture of this Saree can be an ideal pick for sultry says of summer (Similar Look) . I picked up a darker color blouse to make the look more interesting, as the rest of the look is understated. Usually an accessories person like me, but here I avoid all accessories except for a bangle. My make up is minimal and neutral, but I did effort on my hairdo and made it wavy or light curls. A very basic look but love the idea of dressing up...