Earthly Affairs

Solution Map: Business Analyst’s key skill

2014-11-09T22:42:00.002-05:00

A business analyst is a generic term used by organizations to carry out a number of critical functions or tasks within a project. These could include:

Requirement Elicitation
Requirement gathering
Requirement Documentation
Data Analysis
Requirement Analysis
Testing or Quality Assurance Support
Requirement Management
Functional Requirement Analysis
Prototyping or Wire-framing
System Analysis
Process Analysis
Current State vs Future State analysis

And many more… but the real point to remember is that as a business analyst you will be required to have specific skills like technology comprehension, knowing the business domain and needs, good communication skills, ability to cut through clutter, decode ambiguity, mediate between different people or groups to get to a common ground, practicality and keeping the project teams focused and many more. So the question is, what is the most important skill to have as a business analyst at any level. If you are just starting out to be a business analyst it is that one skill that is key to success in this profession. From my personal experience I think it is being able to build a good solution concept/ map in mind and using that as a rudder to take the project forward. This skill is what has worked for me and the challenge is to progress towards the solution by assimilating different project needs and challenges including technology and people challenges.

Let me explain this with an example:

Business analyst Ram is in a project to develop a digital payment system. Ram must understand the domain and learn about the domain as much as possible. Ram must read up on the digital payment domain to understand the technology and business landscape, review competitor solution and gain a perspective of the trends and perspectives in that domain. If possible, get access to an application or product in that space to explore the domain further. This will help Ram understand the technology landscape.

Secondly and most important, he must understand who the stakeholders areand why they are investing money to into the solution. This helps in cutting the requirement clutter that may seep in because of different players in the project (Competing Priorities).

Ram must also understand the scope and time constraints of the project. This is key as projects tend to have scope creep at every step and from everyone involved. Business analyst play a key role in ensuring that they keep the scope in line with stakeholder expectations and needs throughout the project lifecycle.

Another key aspect is the level of experience or comfort that Ram has with the project team and the organization. If Ram is new to the team or organization then it is important to spend time to understand the process within the organization to execute projects. It is paramount to win the trust of the team and get to know the team members. This is very important and is a critical success factor for the business analyst. Simple things like reaching out and talking to people, helping different team members and partnering with them on their project deliverables will go a long way to establish trust. Ram must be approachable to all team members to answers any of their questions or concerns.

Understanding of project intricacies like team dynamics, capabilities and strengths is important. All of these will come through observation and listening to teams.

Understanding the project current state will help Ram navigate towards the future / desired state of the project. Understanding this aspect will also enable Ram to navigate the solution map by understanding the gaps and improvements needed in the current state.

Lastly another important aspect that’s impacting every business analyst and project team more than ever is the ever changing nature of legal and regulatory landscape impact on their project. Understanding this impact is key and to a large extent will drive the project solution path.

There are other factors like performance, security considerations, user access controls etc that have not been discussed here but are still very important.

A business analyst must be able to continuously build, deconstruct the project solution concept/ map with the skills identified above. It is very key that these soft skills are nurtured and strengthened in a business analyst’s career and this will enable the business analyst to advance his/ her career into technology and business leadership roles.

(Please note this blog has been reproduced from my wordpress blog site for wider reach since I realized that this site of mine has been operating for years now and must have a better search engine rank :)

How US based NRIs can invest in Indian equities - Economic Times

2014-09-16T04:29:00.003-04:00

This is a great article that lends insight on how NRIs (specifically in the US) can open trading account in India to take advantage of the Indian equity market growth. The process is slightly difficult but well worth because of recent returns of the Indian stock markets. Read this article in the link attached below.

How US based NRIs can invest in Indian equities - Economic Times

Disclaimer: This is purely for information purpose only. You will have to consult your investment and tax advisors before you decide.

How to Make Your Life Better by Sending Five Simple Emails | TIME

2014-09-12T00:56:00.004-04:00

My Comments:
Our lives are dominated by spending a lot of time on communicating with people in our personal and professional circles. How, what and with whom we communicate is important because we do not have endless hours in a day or week. I found this gem or an article in Time.com. Hope you will benefit from it.

Click on the link below to read the original article.

How to Make Your Life Better by Sending Five Simple Emails | TIME

(Source www.time.com)

For the love of God - The Hindu

2014-08-26T05:49:00.001-04:00

For the love of God - The Hindu
Click the link to see the original article in the The Hindu

(From the Hindu)

My comments:

Truly heart wrenching... and humbling. We live in our own protected cocoon fretting over trivial issues in life. We must support and appreciate organizations like missionaries of charities.

For starters we can plan to celebrate birthdays with underprivileged children. There were so many sentences in the articles that tugged and pricked my conscience. What mother Theresa says about seeing god in people is so true and in essence is Advaitha (non-dualism)... not trying to get religious here but just commenting on the essence of her belief and similarities between beliefs.

Poverty needs to be eliminated, especially children need to be able to live a decent life and all of us must contribute and help in our own little ways.

Vijay Awards 8th Annual Awards - Politically Correct!

2014-07-27T11:09:00.000-04:00

I was watching Vijay awards today. Felt like Vijay TV was trying hard to please the stars who were in attendance and awards were being doled out based on what the most politically right thing to do rather than who was deserving, how did Vijay Sethupathi not win an award? What's wrong with Vijay TV who have some decent programming. Why do you have to give Siva Karthikeyan award every year (I like him nevertheless) all his movies are monotonous and the same have the same kind of characterization. Siva, I have better scripts in mind for you :).

Grow up guys, have a professional award event, populism will not work, may be in the short term you can pull stars and the film fraternity. Encourage the right talent and how can there be multiple actor awards (jury and favorite)?

I hope things will change and you will not stoop down for populism and please watch the oscars multiple times before the next awards function. I must say one thing though, that Vijay awards is much better than trashy bollywood awards function which tend to be very plastic and you can see the faction war out in the open.

Jury must decide the awards and jury must have adequate representation from all quarters of the industry. All the best next year.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/8th_Vijay_Awards

Forgotten stories of Indian soldiers during World War I - The Hindu

2014-07-09T05:01:00.001-04:00

Forgotten stories of Indian soldiers during World War I - The Hindu

Very interesting research and I'm looking forward to see this. Why is the government of India or the ASI (Archaeological Survey of India) not researching items like this. History is not just about Indian National Congress of the Mughals it is about the the common people living in those times, their trials and tribulations, joy and sorrow and their lives. We need more such endeavors that will help construct our national psyche for future generations.

Temple city - Kumbakkonam part 1

2013-08-28T10:24:00.001-04:00

Last year I visited the temple city of Kumbakonam for attending my relative's marriage. It presented a unique opportunity for me and my wife to take time off and visit the beautiful and brilliant temples in and around Kumbakonam.

Kumbakonam is a unique city with lots of temples and each temple foretells its history of thousands of years. The city is a must visit for people who are religious, people who love architecture, archaeology and history. More often India is distorted by specific tourist destinations like the Taj Mahal (which of course is a must see) but if you really want see what India looked like in its golden age and 1000s of years before recorded history then you must visit the temples of south India and places like Kumbakonam, Tanjore, Madurai and host of other temple destinations in Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.

In this multi part blog let's take a look at Kumbakonam a beautiful temple city in Tamil Nadu and its temples.
For more information on the city visit the wiki site:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kumbakonam

One of the great things I love about cities like these is that you can relive the history of such places by visiting the temples where tradition of thousands of years are still kept alive through the temple customs, deities and ambience. The experience is just out of the world, in this era where we are always rushing from one thing to another and do not take the time to experience or feel anything, this kind of experience somewhere grounds you when you look at the history and the architectural marvel of these temples. The icing on the cake is the peace and eternal bliss that is experienced in such places, places of worship which are still not shrouded by commercialism and places where you can take your own time to explore and experience.

I found a very good guide map and legend of temple locations in and around Kumbakonam in the hotel where we were staying. We took a cab to go around and I think the cost was a INR 1,500 for a day with the driver who was very knowledgeable about the locations and conversant with the temple timings.

So first we were on our way to cover the temples in the direction of Tanjore.

We visited Thirukarukavoor temple first (# 5 in the Kumbakonam to Tanjore list).

Thirukarukavoor temple (Garbharakshambhigai)

The temple of Garbharakshambhigai (Goddess who protects the womb) is a beautiful temple on the outskirts of Kumbakkonam. Ghee offerings to the deity are supposed to be very special. Devotees visit the temple in to pray for a future child or to pray for the well being of the mother and child when child is in the womb or for the wellbeing of the child when born. The Sivalingam here is a self manifested lingam.

For more information visit the website below:

http://www.garbarakshambigai.org

http://templesoftamilnadu.co.in/tag/garbha-rakshambika

2.Thiruvalanchuzhi (Valampuri Pillaiyar)

The ganesha idol in the temple is made from froth and the temple has immense history associated with it. For more information visit the link below:
http://templesoftamilnadu.co.in/2010/02/thiruvalanchuzhi-vellai-pillayar/

The ganesha idol in the temple has so much history that it saved the world at one point in time... :). It is said that the Ganesha idol was created by the devas and asuras during the process of the nectar (churning) in order to pray and remove the obstacles that were hampering the nectar creation process. After the devas successfully had their share of the nectar, lord Indra prayed and kept the idol with himself until a point in time when the idol could not be moved from the location of Thiruvalanchuzhi where Indra had placed it on the banks of river cauvery in order to take bath. Realizing that the idol could not be moved from its location Indra left the idol at this location that is called Thiruvalanchuzhi today.

(The painting below is a depiction of Ashtabhuja Mahakali or Kali with eight arms within the temple in a dilapidated state. The painting seemed priceless... is the archaeological department or the state government listening? I'm not too sure but seems like a painting from the Raja Raja Cholan Era could not verify this. )

Part 2 of this series will include more tid bits and photos of the other temples in and around Kumbakonam as listed below:

3. Thiruvidaimardhur (Lord Shiva Temple)

4.Thirubhuvanam (Sarabeeshwarar Temple)

5. Sarangapani Temple

6. Thirunageswaram (Raghu Temple)

7. Kumbeshwarar

To be continued.

Quick movie reviews -July 30 2013

2013-07-30T01:25:00.000-04:00

Currently watched 4 movies and would love to share a quick review of how they were:

Singham 2: Too noisy, Surya is the saving grace and the movie has nothing new to offer, pretty convoluted plot. Rating 2/5.

Mariyan: Pleasant movie both Dhanush and Parvathy Menon are awesome. 2nd half is a let down with an unexpected turn in the story, did not feel real. Songs and visuals are great. 2.5/5.

Bhaag Milka Bhaag: Great performance by Farhan. Movie is a bit slow and drags a lot. Could have been crisper. Good story and visuals, overall a great effort but falling short of a masterpiece. 3/5.

Pattathu Yanaai: What was I thinking watching this one. Very ordinary expect for some scenes where Santhanam delivers but we could have watched some old episodes on him on TV. Trashy movie 1.5/5. The fact that I do not even feel like mentioning Vishal or the story of the movie in the review speaks for itself.

Picture of World Trade Center on a cloudy stormy day!

2013-06-05T21:44:00.000-04:00

Picture taken from exchange place of the World Trade Center and the downtown skyline on my iPhone 5. Picture taken in during my morning commute to work.

OMG! (Oh My God) Movie Review

2012-09-29T23:51:00.001-04:00

Oh My God (OMG), is a very brave movie and a good one at that. I say it is a brave movie because the courage the film makers have exhibited in making this movie given the current repressive atmosphere against freely expressing anything about religion. Even though we live in a world that is more civilized and less violent than the last century, religious intolerance and conflicts in the name of God have only increased manifold and the world is deeply divided than ever before.

Kanjibhai (Paresh Rawal) is an atheist and owns a small business of selling idols of god. He is a shrewd businessman but has no respect for religion and is always sarcastic about religious practices around him. Kanjibhai's wife and people around him are religious and he has fun ridiculing them at every give opportunity. Everything is fine and business is exceptional and a scene where Kanjibhai sells a Lord Krishna idol to a businessman is hilarious.At this point though there is a twist in the tale when a 3.3 richter scale earthquake brings down only his shop and Kanjibhai loses all his merchandise and the shop. People around Kanjibhai are swift to blame that the incident occurred due to his irreverent attitude towards God. To add salt to his wounds, Kanjibhai learns from his insurance company that the insurance does not cover any 'act of god' scenario. Watch our for another priceless scene at the insurance company when Kanjibhai learns about his insurance claim rejection.
Hurt by his claim rejection and to salvage his business and save his family, Kanjihbhai takes on the insurance company and religious trusts (that claim to represent god) by dragging them to court. Kanjbhai's contention is that either the insurance company or the religious trusts has to compensate him as an 'act of god' demolished his shop so he is liable to get compensated from one of them. Kanjibhai files a case against GOD! and sends notices to the insurance company and a number of religious institutions. Watch out for Mithun in a fantastic portrayal of an self obsessed godman, I think his character brings out on what is clearly wrong with religious leaders and institutions in India.

Kanjibhai faces a lot of hardships after his case is accepted by the Mumbai high court and his own family does not stand by him, he faces a lot of social and media pressure and threats from political goons. What I loved is the brave portrayal of how the society reacts when someone questions the status quo with respect to religion and god, even in a democracy there seems to be no allowance for a fair religious debate and respect for an individual's freedom of expression.
Enter Akshay Kumar in very restrained performance of the Lord Krishna and the way he tries to help out Kanjibhai by showing him the path is very touching, subtle and not over the top. What unfolds later and how Kanjibhai goes on to fight the case forms the rest of the story.

Paresh Rawal's is the pillar of the movie and performance is really outstanding. A host of supporting characters including Swami Siddheshwar, Paresh Rawal's friend, Om Puri and others are commendable. Overall the movie never loses its comic touch to the proceedings and there is never a dull moment and all scenes are pretty logical and not over the top.
All in all a wholesome entertainer and with a very timely and a valid message. I especially loved some of the dialogues in the movie like 'Religion is for people and not the other way around' and hard hitting messages about our superstition and belief systems without understanding the real meaning of religion and its goodness. The movie also narrates a grim commentary on the role of godmen and religious institutions in the world which are only acting as franchise's of God and not imparting any true knowledge to people.

I will go with 3.5 stars out of 5 for the movie. Kudos to the director, producers and the writer of the Gujarati play on which the movie is based.
God bless such endeavors which are entertaining and contain a social message. Did I say god bless!

Tofu Curry Pasta

2012-09-25T23:38:00.001-04:00

I am a big fan of Italian pasta.I invariably order pastas in most Italian restaurants that I visit in the US ! I love the smell of cheese melting over the hot pasta flavored with basil leaves...whoa what an aroma !! Nonetheless,its not possible to have this very often as it is loaded with calories. All those who want to enjoy pasta without those extra calories will love this protein rich pasta dish ! Its called the Tofu Curry Pasta ! Tofu as you would know is a soy bean product loaded with protein.Its a staple food for the Japanese.Off late there has been a lot of controversy regarding the health benefits of Tofu as most of the modern day Tofu is processed containing GMO which is unhealthy according to recent researches. The Japanese prepare tofu traditionally using fermentation process and hence is nutritious but modern day tofu is not prepared this way.Hence I prefer to use organic non GMO tofu which will eliminate the health concerns of using tofu !! I am touching on the nutritional aspects of food as it is as important as the taste itself ! Now onto the recipe...
Ingredients

1/2 cup organic tofu
1/2 cup minced onions
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/4 cup green peas
2 cups chopped tomatoes
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp turmeric
1 tbsp ginger paste
1 tbsp garlic paste
1 tbsp cilantro leaves
1 tsp paprika or red pepper flakes
2-3 tbsp parmesan cheese
1 cup cooked fusilli pasta
Salt to taste

Preparation

Heat oil in a sauce pan and add the cumin seeds and turmeric powder.After the cumin seeds splutter,add the chopped onions and salt.Cook till onions become tender. Now add the ginger-garlic paste and saute for a few minutes.

Add the shredded carrots and peas and cook for few more minutes.

Now,add the minced tofu and cook well until soft.You may sprinkle some water if the gravy becomes very dry.

Now add red paprika powder and chopped tomatoes and cook on a high flame till the tomatoes are completely mushy. Transfer it onto a plate and garnish with cilantro leaves.Sprinkle some cheese on top .

Now take the cooked fusilli pasta and mix it well with the tofu curry.

The protein rich tofu curry pasta is ready to be served hot !

Pumpkin Spice Pie

2012-09-22T00:12:00.000-04:00

Its officially fall time in the US and its literally raining pumpkins here ! I just picked a pumpkin while shopping today,could not resist the urge to make a pumpkin pie;a traditional fall dessert.I am already in the mood for halloween :)
Ok now back to business ! Basically there are 2 types of pumpkins,the bigger one is used for carvings/decorations during halloween and also for savories and soups(it usually has more fibre).The ones that are used for desserts are called SUGAR PUMPKINS ! These are the small pumpkins that taste sweet. So quickly onto the recipe.....
Ingredients

For the pie crust

1 cup All purpose flour
1/4 cup cold butter
3-4 tbsp cold water
1/2 cup crushed graham crackers or ginger cookies(This forms the base for the pie crust)
1 tsp salt

For the filling

2 cups pumpkin puree
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk(I made it at home)
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1/4 tsp clove powder
1 tbsp corn starch
1/2 tsp salt

Preparation

Cut the pumpkin into 2 halves and remove the fibre and seeds(The seeds are nutritious and can be used for later use).

Place them on a greased baking tray(cut side facing down)and bake it in oven at 400F for 35 minutes.

Scoop out the baked pumpkin flesh once cooled and make it into a fine puree with the help of a spoon.Meanwhile mix all the dry ingredients for the pie crust and prepare the dough.Its important that the pie crust ingredients are all cold.The prepared pie crust dough should be wrapped in a plastic sheet and refrigerated for 30 minutes. This makes the pie crust crisp when baked.

Preheat the oven to 400F and start working on the filling and pie crust. Mix all the ingredients for the filling in a vessel and prepare a nice batter.I added some peanut butter to the filling mixture but its entirely optional. Now roll out the pie crust dough into 9 inch diameter(or according to the size of your baking tray) and prepare the crust as shown below.Place the crust in a 9 inch baking tray.

Cover the bottom of the pie crust with graham crackers or ginger cookies.This is essential since the pie filling when poured directly into the crust may make the pie soggy and soft.In order to give the pie a hard base this filling is required.

Pour the filling into the pie crust and bake it in an oven at 400F for 15 minutes and reduce the temperature to 350F and bake it for another 25-30 minutes.

Remove from oven and perform the tooth pick test to see if the pie has baked well. Allow to cool and cut the pie into your desired shape and refrigerate well before serving.

Fruit & Nut Cake

2012-09-21T23:22:00.002-04:00

Christmas is just a couple of months away and what better than baking your own cake for Christmas ! Personally Christmas reminds me of the delicious fruit cakes that I get to have from my neighbours back home during my childhood days.
Fruit cakes are perfect for gifting too,they can be prepared well ahead of time, refrigerated and gifted during the festive season.Since most fruit cakes incorporate rum or brandy(alcohol),they age well with time and the flavor matures just in time for the festival.Since I am making this cake for everyone in my family including elders who are very specific about the ingredients that goes into the cake,I am sharing an alcohol/egg free version of the fruit cake here. Nonetheless believe me the taste of the fruit cake is definitely not compromised !
Ingredients
1 cup nuts(broken cashew,sliced almonds,pista)
1 cup dry fruits(raisins,prunes,cranberry,apricots)
1 cup self rising flour
1/2 a cup plain white sugar
1/3 cup of almond powder(I used MTR Badam drink mix)
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp cranberry syrup
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Preparation

Take 2 cups of water in a deep bottom vessel and bring it to boil.Drop the nuts and dry fruits into the boiling water and allow to cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Now add the butter to the nut and fruit mixture and stir in till the butter melts into the mixture.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350F or 180C before you start proceeding to the cake batter.

Add the rest of the ingredients one by one and keep stirring continuously in order to get a smooth batter.Pour the cake batter into a greased 9 inch baking tray and place it on the lower rack of the oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Remove the baking tray and test the cake with a tooth pick to see if it has baked completely.(The tooth pick should easily come out without sticking).

Slice the fruit cake once cooled into pie shaped pieces or squares according to your preference.

Store the pieces in a nice air tight container and refrigerate.The fruit and nut cake tastes good when served cold !

Schezwan Noodles

2012-09-20T22:21:00.000-04:00

Schezwan noodles are one of my favourite Indo-Chinese noodles.You can make them with any vegetable readily available like cabbage,peppers,carrots,sprouts,french beans,shallots etc
Like I mentioned earlier in one of my blogs,you can use the home made schezwan sauce for this recipe ,your total cooking time is significantly reduced if your sauce is ready to use. And now to the recipe,here it goes !
Ingredients
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 cup noodles
3 tsps schezwan sauce(Look for this recipe in my recipe index)
1 cup sliced peppers(red,green and yellow)
1 cup spring onion or shallots( just the white part)
1 cup julienne carrots
1 cup shredded cabbage
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp minced ginger
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp vinegar
A dash of salt to taste

Preparation

Heat oil in a sauce pan and add the minced garlic and ginger.Saute for a few seconds. Now add all the vegetables one after the other and cook until all the veggies are semi crisp.

Now add the schezwan sauce ,soy sauce and vinegar and cook for a few more minutes till the sauce is well incorporated into the veggies.

Meanwhile bring water to a rolling boil in a deep bottomed container and add a pinch of salt and sesame oil.Drop in the noodles and cook untill you notice the broth raising up.

Now turn off the heat and strain the noodles with a colander.Transfer the noodles into the sauce pan and give a nice stir to mix it with the cooked vegetables.
Garnish the schezwan noodles with spring onions on top.
Yummy schezwan noodles is ready to be served !

Schezwan Sauce

2012-08-23T21:05:00.001-04:00

The 'Schezwan Sauce' serves as a base sauce for most of the Indo-Chinese recipes such as Schezwan Paneer,Schezwan Noodles,Schezwan Fried Rice,Schezwan baby corns/potatoes and so many more.Most grocers sell these sauces by the bottle but they can be easily made at home too.They come in handy when made in a large quantity and stored for use in the above said dishes. Here's a quick look at the recipe.

Ingredients
5 long red chillies
1 cup spring onion or shallots( just the white part)
1 large tomato
1 bunch chopped corriander leaves
3 tbsps minced garlic
3 tbsps corn oil/sesame oil/peanut oil(I prefer corn oil)
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp vinegar
2 tsps brown sugar
A dash of salt to taste

Soak the red chillies in hot water for 30 minutes and pulse the red chillies in a mixer along with the water.Now add the diced tomato to this red chillie mixture and pulse it again to form a thick puree.The sauce should be chunky and not very mushy.

Preparation
Add 3 tbsps of corn oil in a deep bottomed pan and add the spring onions,minced garlic and chopped corriander leaves. Saute for a few minutes until the onions become tender.
Add a pinch of salt to hasten the cooking time of onion. For best results use the white portion of the spring onion and reserve the green portion for garnishing.

Add the red chillie and tomato purée into the pan and cook for a few minutes.As soon as you notice the bubbles on top of the cooked mixture, add soy sauce and vinegar and keep stirring the sauce untill it starts leaving the sides of the pan and the oil seperates.Now add the brown sugar.Brown sugar mellows down the spiciness of the sauce and balances the taste. At this stage the sauce is ready.Turn off the heat now.

Transfer the contents in a glass container along with the oil and store it in the refrigerator for future use.You can make this sauce in a large quantity and store it for a long time.Its important to use oil generously in order to preserve this sauce for a long time in refrigerator.

Schezwan Paneer

2012-08-22T20:01:00.000-04:00

Indo-Chinese dishes are in vogue in most of the Indian restaurants these days. The Indian tweak to these Chinese recipes add up spice,flavor and color to the dishes. One such hit Indo-Chinese dish is our very own 'Schezwan Paneer'. It's a mouth watering dish and my personal favorite too !!

Ingredients
1 cup cubed paneer
1 large red onion (chopped)
2 tbsps olive oil
2 cups chopped green,red and yellow peppers
1 tbsp garlic paste
1 tbsp ginger paste
3 tsps schezwan sauce( Look for this recipe in my recipe index)
1 tsp soy sauce
1 cup water mixed with 1 tsp cornflour
A dash of salt to taste

Preparation
Add 2 tbsps of olive oil in a saucepan and shallow fry the cut paneer cubes on both the sides until golden brown.

Now remove the paneer and transfer to a plate.In the same oil,put onion,peppers,ginger-garlic paste and saute until the bell peppers are semi crisp.Add a little salt so that the onions cook faster.

Now add 1 tsp soy sauce and 3 tsps of schezwan sauce and cook on a medium flame until the oil starts leaving the sides of the pan.

Now add the fried paneer cubes and the water corn flour mixture and cook till a thick gravy is obtained.You can add water further based on the consistency you prefer.Finally add salt according to taste.

Turn off the heat and transfer the dish into a bowl and decorate with spring onions on top. And the yummy schezwan paneer is ready to be served !

Vegetable Indo-Chinese Noodles - A Healthier Version

2012-08-19T13:12:00.000-04:00

Indo-Chinese noodles are very popular among the Indian noodle lovers.I am no exception to that but I always wondered if they are healthy to be eaten frequently since every Chinese noodle dish invariably contains Ajino-moto and soy sauce(which has a combination of not so healthy ingredients too).Hence I am always skeptical when it comes to making Chinese noodles at home. I then decided to try an alternative and a much more healthy version of the indo-chinese noodles without compromising on the original taste and have come up with that recipe here. So here's a guilt free version of the ever popular indo-chinese noodles !

Ingredients
1 cup cooked wheat noodles(tossed in olive oil)
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup Julienne carrots
1 tbsp minced garlic
1/2 cup sliced onion(length wise)
1/2 cup sliced green peppers(length wise)
5-10 broccoli florets
2 tbsp peanut butter(A replacement for ajino moto)
2 tbsp organic plum or prune puree(A replacement for soy sauce)
1 tsp green chillie(either slit or sauced)
A dash of pepper and salt to taste
Note :
1) Peanut butter gives an earthy flavor to the noodles.
2)Plum/prune sauce give a tangy/sweet taste effectively replacing soy sauce.

Preparation
Add 1 tbsp olive oil in a saucepan and sautee the onions and garlic until golden brown. Add a little salt so that the onions cook faster. Now add the carrots,green peppers,broccoli and cook until semi crisp.I like the vegetables to be slightly raw in my noodles to get a good bite of it in the noodles. Now make a well in the center of the saucepan and add the plum/prune puree,peanut butter and green chilli sauce and saute them in the oil for a few minutes. Combine this with the rest of the vegetables and saute for a few more minutes. Now add the cooked noodles into the sauce pan and combine well with the rest of the ingredients. Finally add salt and pepper according to taste.A healthy guilt free version of the original Indo-Chinese noodles is ready to be served !

Brown Rice With Herbed Mushrooms

2012-08-19T12:01:00.001-04:00

Mushrooms are a rich source of Selenium and are high in natural antioxidants. When combined with brown rice they make a wholesome dish full of fiber and nutrients. Not many like the taste of plain mushrooms so its a great idea to combine them with herbs to bring out the earthy flavor of mushrooms. Here's how to do it !

Ingredients
1 cup cooked brown rice
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1 tbsp minced garlic
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green peppers
1 tbsp parsley,thyme and rosemary
1/2 cup dessert wine(optional)
2 tbsp hot peppers and cheese mix(look for my recipe index for this recipe)
Salt,pepper to taste
Preparation
Add 1 tbsp olive oil in a saucepan and sautee the onions and garlic until golden brown. Add the herbs,salt and pepper and toss for a while until the herbs start giving out the aroma. Now add the mushrooms and close the saucepan with a lid.Let the mushrooms absorb the flavors from the herbs and cook well. Now add the cooked brown rice and a good choice of dessert wine(optional) and cook for few minutes until the rice incorporates well with the other ingredients.Finally add the hot peppers and cheese mix according to your taste and how spicy you would like your dish to be. The flavored brown rice is ready to be served !

Healthy 2-Minute Egg Salad

2012-08-18T12:16:00.004-04:00

Egg is a versatile product that can be used in literally any dish (as is) to enhance flavor and nutrition.It cooks faster than most veggies and hence a smart addition to any breakfast menu. We all know that salads are a perfect system cleanser.Incorporating raw vegetables in our diet in the form of salads help retain fiber and water in our body thereby flushing out the toxins from the system. Not to mention the load of vitamins and minerals that a few servings of vegetables would provide;an ideal menu for breakfast.Adding eggs to the salad would ensure that a good amount of protein goes into the already vitamin packed breakfast !

Ingredients
2 hard boiled eggs
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped spring onion
1/2 cup chopped green peppers
1 tsp paprika or red chillie flakes
Salt,pepper to taste
Preparation
Boil the eggs in hot water for about 10 minutes and remove the egg shells.Place the boiled eggs in a ziplock bag and leave it in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes.This method is called 'Hard Boiling'.This process gives the cooked eggs a hard texture and prevents it from breaking easily when trying to toss in a salad.
Note : This can be done the previous night in order to save time. Now cut the hard boiled eggs into nice little cubes and throw in salt and pepper giving it a nice toss. Now grill the vegetables till semi crisp for a few minutes and add the vegetables into the egg pepper mixture.If you do not prefer to grill, then satuee the vegetables in olive oil for just under a minute. The healthy egg salad is ready in just under 2 minutes.

Low Calorie Vegetable Quiche

2012-08-17T17:00:00.000-04:00

Quiche is an awesome dish that is simple to make,requires fewer ingredients and is a low calorie food - a perfect breakfast material !
It is a very popular menu in any bed and breakfast style restaurant and also a preferred breakfast choice in many western households as its enjoyed both by kids and adults alike. All you need to do is, just assemble the ingredients together and transfer them into an oven and before you even know your breakfast is ready ! Quiche resembles a delicious pizza - (what a smart way to disguise all the veggies in a breakfast?) but is full of goodness and no fat !

Ingredients
4 whole eggs
1 9 inch pie crust(store bought or homemade)
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped spring onion
1/2 cup chopped green peppers
1/2 cup broccoli florets
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
1 tbsp tomato sauce(optional) 1 tsp paprika or red chillie flakes
Salt,pepper to taste
Preparation
Break open all the eggs in a mixing bowl and beat until smooth. Throw in the Italian seasonings,salt and pepper and give it a nice stir. Now arrange all the veggies one after the other inside the pie crust.This should cover the bottom of the pie crust entirely leaving no room. Now pour the egg mixture into the pie crust,over the arranged vegetables. Carefully place the pie crust in the microwave oven and heat it on medium high for about 9-10 minutes.Keep turning the pie crust by 60 degrees every 3 minutes so that all the sides of the crust bake uniformly. Pull out the crust when ready.You can check if the egg mixture has cooked by inserting a knife into the crust and pulling out to see if it sticks. Slice the pie into 4 pieces and serve hot. A protein rich breakfast is ready in no time !

Brown Rice With Brussel Sprouts and Roasted Sunflower Seeds

2012-07-29T18:10:00.000-04:00

Brussel Sprouts is a versatile vegetable that cooks in a jiffy and is loaded with protein and Vitamin C.Being very low in fat and calories it makes a perfect food when combied with brown rice.You can be rest assured of getting a good quantity of fiber in every spoonfull !

Ingredients
1 tsp olive oil
1 cup chopped brussel sprouts
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1 tsp sun flower seeds
1 large onion
1 cup long grain brown rice(cooked)
1 tsp paprika or red chillie flakes
Salt,pepper to taste
Preparation
Heat olive oil in a saucepan and sauté the onions and mushrooms until tender. Add the chopped brussel sprouts and cook till they get semi crisp.You can occasionally sprinkle water if it gets dry.Now combine the paprika according to your taste.Add the cooked brown rice and incorporate well with the vegetable. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with a spoon of roasted sun flower seeds. Your fiber rich diet is ready to be devoured .

Brown Rice Parmesan Risotto With Mushrooms

2012-07-24T18:28:00.000-04:00

This nutrition packed brown rice recipe is a perfect lunch box material.Its loaded with goodness and nutrients, a sure to be hit mid day meal that keeps you all charged up for the rest of your day.
Ingredients
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
2 cloves minced garlic
1 large onion
1/2 a tomato diced
1 cup long grain brown rice(cooked)
1/2 cup frozen peas
3 tbsps shredded Parmesan or Romano cheese
1 tsp Italian seasoning(dried sage,thyme,oregano,parsely and rosemary)
Salt,pepper to taste
Preparation
Heat olive oil in a saucepan and sauté the onions,mushrooms and garlic until tender. Add the diced tomatoes and cooked brown rice.Let the brown rice absorb all the water from mushroom and onion and fluff up a little.Throw in the peas and seasonings and allow the flavours to settle well into the rice. Remove the saucepan from heat and add the freshly grated cheese. Season with salt and pepper. And your yummy rissotto is ready to be served.

Tanjore's Temple- India's Unheralded World Wonder

2012-06-24T22:34:00.000-04:00

I love the temples of south India, not just because of religious significance but also because you can relive history at these sites. I miss these treasures even more as I live away from my homeland.

One of the most famous and the most grandeur temple of its kind in Tamil Nadu is the Brihadeeswara temple in Tanjore (erstwhile capital of the Chola's). It is a beautiful temple built by Raja Raja Chola 1 at the height of the Tamil kingdom's golden period. The temple was consecrated in the year 1010 AD. Coincidentally the year 2010 marked the 1000th year of the temple. I had the fortune of visiting the temple in the year 2009 and all these photographs were taken at that time.
To know more about the temple please visit th wikipedia location at :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brihadeeswarar_Temple

All Indians can be really proud of heritage sites like this one. In every Indian city or town there are numerous such temples and heritage sites that announce to the world about the greatness of our civilization. I do feel that our generation needs to cherish and preserve this history and heritage and pass on to our future generation. As far as I see it, the Brihadeeshwara temple is no less significant than Taj Mahal or the other wonders in the world. There are numerous documentaries that detail how the great Brihadeeshwara temple was built. It is fascinating to know these details and the commentary about that day and age.

At last if you want have a virtual visit to the temple here is a useful link:
http://view360.in/virtualtour/thanjavur

The Coming of Age of Tamil Cinema

2012-04-25T23:31:00.001-04:00

I grew up in Mumbai and in my childhood I used to watch Hindi and English movies. My family shifted to Chennai when I was 17 and still Tamil movies were not a big part of my life. I used to watch one movie here and there but was never a big fan of Tamil movies. The last 4-5 years have been a dramatic turnaround and I find myself watching Tamil movies more often than English movies and I seriously feel that the industry itself is delivering some top notch, hard hitting sensible movies that are tugging heart strings.

Tamil movies have come of age due to the following reasons:

Songs and music in movies are of international quality. Maestros like ARR, gen-x music directors have established a very high bench mark that have increased the popularity of the movies among audiences globally.
A very good mix of rural and urban audiences who provide the impetus to movie makers to make both rural and urban theme based movies. This is a very healthy trend and this aspect adds variety to the plethora of movie releases throughout the year.
Talented filmmakers are abundant and the passion for cinema in Tamil Nadu is unparelled and this ensures steady supply of passionate filmmakers. Experienced and new filmmakers together are setting the bar higher with every movie release.
Actors, who are ready to experiment.
Above all, passion for movies from the movie going public and the society in general. Movies are very much a part of the culture and forms a big part of every one's life, young and old.
World class technicians like cinematographers, editors, music directors, playback singers are available and can be tapped by even medium budget movie makers.
Strong production houses are big drivers. Both big production houses and producers who are passionate about producing impactful movies are on the rise.
Government patronage of the industry and subsidies is also a very big driver for the industry.

It is really a golden age for Tamil cinema industry and what one expects in the future is that this passion

will continue and the industry will keep delivering smart movies. It is not only a endearing hope from a Tamil movie fan but also a realistic expectation that the industry will deliver on its promise.

Light rail on Jersey City (photo) and nostalgia about trains and my childhood

2012-04-11T19:57:00.001-04:00

http://instagr.am/p/JTFf9CmKlj/

This is where I take the train home from work everyday. Really something magical about trains... used to love them as a kid.

I used to be on trains running across the country from Mumbai to Chennai and further south every year as a kid during summer holidays. I used to count the carriages (compartments) of trains passing by and used to get terribly disappointed if the train I was traveling was had lesser carriages. Invariably I used to be happy most of the times because our train used to be the Mumbai- Chennai mail the slowest and the longest.

Miss the trains and those long journeys across winding mountains, rivers and innumerable villages and hundreds of stations across rural India. Miss those hot coffee, teas and vadas... miss the thrill of standing on the train door and looking at vast swathes of empty land with the wind gushing ...
Really miss the magical Indian railways....