The Simplest Cake!!

So now that I have started blogging...I intend to give it a direction.

The most obvious amongst all options was making it a food centric blog...and as I have always maintained cooking is the biggest stress buster for me !!!While wondering which dish to post about...I have finally decided to go ahead with the most basic form of a cake..

(want to start it at a sweet note ;) )

And by mentioning that it is the most basic form of a cake...I mean even its cooking is in the basic form....hence a COOKER CAKE :)

It is a cooker chocolate cake

Ingredients : (I have decided to use the generally used names and not some deadly-sounding English translation of it)

Maida - 1 cup

Milkmaid - 1/2 cup

Sugar -1/4 cup

raisins and cashews as per choice ( I used a cup of them)

Baking soda -1/4 teaspoon 

Baking powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Melted butter - 1/4 cup

Milk - 1/2 cup

So now baking it is the simplest thing one can do...but for the ones who have just begun....you would LOVE it for its simplicity

Start by mixing Maida, baking soda, and baking powder in a bowl and then pass it through a sieve (this is done to bring in air and layers to the mixture...so that the cake turns fluffy)

Mix in a separate bowl - sugar, milkmaid, butter and half the quantity of milk. Make a fine paste of it.

Mix the ingredients of both bowls and make a smooth batter while adding rest of the milk.

Take approximately 1 1/2 cup of salt and put it in the pressure cooker and spread it evenly. Remove the whistle and put it on the gas at low flame. Heat it for 2-3 minutes

Take a bowl (preferably aluminium) grease it with oil and sprinkle some flour on it. Pour the batter into this bowl and put it in the cooker (when the salt is warm post 2-3 minutes)

Close the lid (make sure you have removed the whistle) and now chill for 45 minutes before you look at the brilliant achievement!!!!!!!!

Once out of the cooker let it cool for 5 minutes and go pour all your creativity on to it...layer it with liquid chocolate..nuts...gems or whatever you like!!!

Taste it and say YUMMMMM ;)

Was quite simple...I'm sure you would agree....next ill come up with something which needs at least some technique :P

Till then...happy eating :)

Being Sensitive.... #indispensable!

There are a lot of things happening around us. Some affects us, some don't. in either of the cases being aware that there is something happening and being considerate towards the ones affected is essential.
Why kill the human inside you. In today's scenario there are a lot of people who would ignore a situation saying 'it is not my business', good, good that it is not your business and brilliant that you are not the one affected. But, Pause, pause and think, what if you were. What if you were the one affected and someone else said, ' Dude, why the hell should i care? It isn't my business'.

Get over it. get over the fact, rather an illusion that nothing is ever going to affect you, Being optimistic is good, but being over confident is not. You never know what, when, where might go wrong. I am not saying and you shouldn't expect that if you were sensitive towards A's problem , even A should be sensitive towards you, he is not bound to. But, the point here is if each one thinks that way, it makes the situation worse. Do your bit, and forget about it. We are not judges, neither do we have time for analysis, but we do have an inner self. We are answerable, not to the world, but to our own self. When at night you go and sleep, it shouldn't bother you that you were insensitive. If it is in your ability and capacity why not help someone in need, or rather just be sensitive towards him.

A small example from my own life: one day i took a rickshaw to go across the street, to a mall, hardly a kilometer (may be less than that, i am bad at measuring distances), it was extremely hot, and when i say extremely, i mean somewhere around 45-47 degrees, I had it in my heart that whatever amount the person says, i would pay (if i could go to that mall and shop for thousands, why can't i give this poor man 20-30 bucks extra?) the rickshaw guy was genuine, he asked only for what was the usual amount. I  was accompanied by someone, and suddenly i insisted that i pay 20 bucks over and above the amount he asked for, because it was too hot to pull the rickshaw.The person who accompanied me was against the thought that we should pay extra, because this is something he does daily and for 10 hours a day, and me paying him 20 rupees extra won't help. I was shaken, shaken for the fact that actually the extra money would not have helped him as much as the bottle of chilled water i could buy from that money would. I bought water and gave it to him , and the rickshaw guy stared a me for 2 minutes and just din't know what to say. He gulped down the ice cold water and kept the bottle safely in his rickshaw, thanked me and went away.

The point here is not to highlight what i did, but to think why can't we do this as many times as possible during the day. I am sure if we have the resources which enable us to use technology and read this blog right now, we definitely have to capability and ability to go out and help some one. Not only by money, Just be sensitive, sensitive towards the environment, people, family and your inner self.

And trust me, when you go to sleep each day, you would have that satisfaction, that atleast you are doing you bit.

Music!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As cliche as it may sound but it still remains true n strong "Music makes you who you are"..i mean not literally but yes to a greattt extent.

As in , i am sure each one of us has tried listening to music when we are happy/sad/depressed (Songs cater to this segment as well ! beat that :/ ) . Personally songs are for me strictly when i am "HAPPY". Yes!!!!!!! i cant listen to the  saddest songs in the world. I just can't connect with them . If you are sad , and you listen to slow/dead songs you end up crying...then why on the first place you started listening to songs...you were depressed and could have ended up crying any which ways!

Nevertheless lot of people swear by the "Healing Power" of music to which i totally abide by! I am not hesitant to accept thta Honey Singh heals me faster than Sonu Nigam!! I don't know why but i am a sucker for loud music!!! Happiness is what i get out of it and happiness is something i live for.
I may crib the whole day...but that's not me...that's what the place is making me give back to them **can't help much** but when i am back...back in mood...it's me and Honey Singhhhh (Yes , probably i mentioned him so many times , because i just listened to three of his songs thirty times) and the name would change sooner or later). But it doesn't matter...i am no sucker for "art". Sorry ! but that's how it is.rude may be, but is a fact.

Honey Singh may not sing the most sensible songs but surely know how to make his listeners happy and he is damn good at making that segment contended. Art/ Culture/tradition/sur/taal/soul of music are heavy words....i can't connect with them! i connect with "mass music" which simply clicks and yes you don't need brains for it. After a whole day's brain storming at work who wants to apply brains even in the kind of music you hear!!!!! Give me a  break!

Songs....i love you!!! as long as i can connect with you and yessss i connect with the loudest/weirdest and at times the most funny songs ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i find soul in them...a soul because it makes me happy! Makes me smile and gives me some moments of pure bliss!

Unveiling The Workaholic me!

The work...the exhaustion...the stress!!! might be normal for some..but for a person like me it take hell lot of patience and time to adapt to it! Yes i CAN work till late , i CAN work in stress but i need TIME. Time to adjust, time to get comfortable and time to get into the flow and once i start flowing there is no looking back ;)

My personal view is that working to the core is the best way to do justice to  your conscience. I love what i do so i have no qualms about it. Yes i crib..i crib a lot(one of the biggest cribbers u'll ever find ;) but that is what makes it all worthwhile...if you know you HAVE to do it , you actually DO. Some positive energy guides you through and you get the feel yes , it can be done...if not easily , atleast successfully! and that's all what matters at the end.

It has its own highs and lows...if ego boost is one of the highs...lack of time with family , friends is one of the lows :( but with one hell of a supporting family and friends it all becomes a lot easier!!! Ofcourse being over protected and over spoil kid works against handling it all at one go...but then you get used to it...you know that's the way of life. Not everywhere you will find a hand which holds. But that doesn't mean you have to walk 'alone' it just means walk with everyone but 'independently' no crutches!!! and rightly so....just a couple of positive lines are enough...are enough to keep the focus.....to feel happy and .to make it happen!!!

Shun Expectations!! Adopt Hope :)

“If you expect nothing from anybody, you’re never disappointed.” 
― Sylvia Plath

And Sylvia must have been truly hurt while saying this...but truly practical as well. If you want to get unhappy , unsatisfied...go ahead... Expect as MUCH as you can.But remember Expectation is one habit , you will always repent. Let it be , because you don't need THEIR approval. Things like 'how am i looking?' , "is this work good?' , 'Can you help me?' , will never give you the answer that YOU want , but always , an answer which will disappoint you , or in extreme cases , shatter you . So chill! Relax! life is too short to ask for approvals , be secure in your own skin. Doesn't matter if the person isn't ready to take care of you , you are able enough to do so your ownself. Doesn't matter if you don't look pretty to the person in question , You are a princess to your own heart...and doesn't matter if the person doesn't love you back...you should be immersed in self love!!!! <3 :)

Yes , and as preachy as it may get..but at the end it's just one opinion that matters..your OWN opinion. Thousands of people may say good about you , but if you know you aren't , even 'n' number of approvals wont satisfy you and you will still go hunting for a 'nod'.But if you are secure enough , despite thousands refutes , you would still go to sleep with utter peace of mind and would know in heart...'I know i am good'

Don't expect your bosses to appreciate every single thing you do...they don't sit at your head all the time...but if YOU know you work hard...there is no question in point. You are ready to face whosoever! It doesn't even matter.

Life is too short to get tensed , unhappy and yes...tears are precious! Atleast for the ones who care. Leave expectations but always keep 'Hope' close to you.There is a difference between expectation and hope. I might expect my boss says , 'Komal you did a fabulous job'!!! but when i hope...i hope 'I do good work'.Expectations are subjective...Hope is Generic.If it doesn't get fulfilled..It doesn't hurt!

. Expectations are connected with people around you....Hope is inside you! People can kill expectations but hope is there to live forever!!!!!

p.s. Be happy! That smile is precious!

Obsessions!

They are important if you want to live more than you breathe! Being obsessed with something pushes you for that extra mile...that mile which matters the most at the end...the mile which makes all the difference. People say obsession isnt healthy...i say its IMPERATIVE. You cannot sustain on mere basis of 'eat love pray'...there has to be space for 'obsession'. I am Obsesed...obsessed with 'Pink'...obsessed with 'Chocolates'...obsessed with 'Romantic tales n movies'...obsessed with red roses..obsessed for that extra achievment...obsession with life...obsession with myself.
When the environment changes..the comfort zone ends...the positivity gets lost somewhere..you need a helping hand...you need to walk that extra mile...you need to have that obsession to suceed.
My obsession with 'Pink'  comes across in my daily chores of life! From room to clothes to watch to specs...its all pink...makes me feel special...not for anyone else...for my OWN self..after all who doesnt need a dose of 'self love'...?
Chocolates, Twilight , and 'feel good factor' make me take that step...step which makes me who i am...not necessarily amazing for all..not necessarily best for all..but when i sleep at night...my peace of mind and sense of satisfaction stays with me...it tells me...my obsessions make me live n love that extra moment of happiness :)

And it did NOT happen!

There are days when you feel that you have certainly DID it and then god laughs at you,...dear , its NOT the way , YOU want it be...i shall have MY own ways! and then you have no option  but to deal with the disappointment.
Yes the thought was that it was good, but probably the result shouted 'Not Good Enough'.
Might/might not be convincing ,but is a fact for sure. Days can drain you emotionally but you got to have that stride to still try and excel and let that day come , when you get up and say , Hey shutup! cz , its finally DONE and the people right now having a gala time have no option but to respect , cz its your's and nobody has the right to claim it now.
Nevertheless such things do not dishearten more than few hours. Once back in the comfort zone , i know i have other things to look at , which make me happy ,make me feel contended and not just another contender!