Birthday With Friends and Family and Friends Who are Family

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Celebrated my birthday with family and friends.An evening spent in conversation and laughter.We all are similar souls so the easy pace suited us all.My friends Kalyan and Soumik took the pictures.Kalyan's camera actually sounded like a machine gun as he attempted a panoramic view.I pray that he doesn't use it in sensitive localities.

I cooked for a large group for the first time,a bit nervously.Started a day earlier as I chose to make Russian Salad,a salad that requires vegetables to be diced to the same size and boiled.Something that takes time. With instructions from my mother,I managed to do it right!

The menu was vegetarian and nonvegetarian and with no particular cuisine in mind....some Maharashtrian,some Bengali and one that came from a Parsi ....coincidentally representing all of us! There was ofcourse Biryani,a very Mumbai one!

Remembered my childhood days when Monaco was served with various toppings and did just that: the vegetarian one with low fat cheese,onion,coriander and a dash of ketchup.The non-vegetarian one with boiled egg and a dash of Kasundi,the zingy Bengali mustard.This was inspired by @Aneeshb's tweet on Wasabi Eggs.Picked up dips of aubergine and asparagus and lavash from Shirin Adenwalla.Turned out to be just fabulous.Shirin I found in the Times Good Food Guide when I looked for cake options.When I looked online I discovered her fascinating website.My cousin Archana made a hung curd dip with onion and hummus accompanied by crudite sticks.Everyone loved it.Garlic and Corn Dhoklas from Gangar Stores was another option which turned out to be wonderful.


Made a Chicken Curry for nonvegetarians and Vatanachi Usal and Kanda Batata Rassa for vegetarians.The recipes for the first two were our community recipes and the Rassa was from this amazing book by an NRI Kaumudi Marathe called "The Essential Marathi Cookbook"



Usal is a simple protein and fibre rich Maharashtrian dish made of peas or sprouts and has Goda Masala.I was happy that my only vegetarian friend liked the food and my otherwise nonvegetarian friends too enjoyed the Rassa and Usal.
The rice items Biryani and Veg Pulao were from Delhi Darbar.Home delivered.

Had the cake I ordered from Shirin Adenwalla and it was richness personified! The dark chocolate entwined with the white chocolate in a rum filled harmony! A complete wow!

Finally we ended with a Bengali dessert I made called Bhaapa Doi which has equal measures of condensed milk,curds and milk and is steamed.

Wore a lovely blue top that my sweet friend Bijal (above) gifted me.She has a knack for clothes.

And then the other gifts brought more smiles....... :) Hey,that's what birthdays are for!! :)
I heart time with friends,family and friends who are family!

Comments

Kalyan Karmakar said…
thanks for the wonderful feast and evening Sassy. here's to many more
May 16, 2011 at 12:13 AM
Tongue-fu Lady said…
Happy Birthday Sassy Fork. Its always a pleasure reading your blog :)
May 17, 2011 at 7:16 PM
Sassy Fork said…
Tongue-fu thanks!! Must say I am glad I discovered your blogs.Your mom is so beautiful!
Britto's is definitely on my list!
May 17, 2011 at 8:55 PM
Madhvi said…
yes, here's to many more! Nice celebration!
May 22, 2011 at 1:49 AM
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