VODKA ‘n’ PANI PURI

25th December 2008,  Merry Christmas

Note: I deleted the something interesting page and put it here…I guess this is easier :p

Strange Pairing :   VODKA ‘n’ PANI PURI

Yesterday, I was sitting with a bunch of friends at McDonalds somewhere in Bugis, Singapore. We bought a couple of magazines (year-end specials) to just recap what all  happened in 2008. Going through the magazine I came across an article – Vodka ‘n’ Pani Puri . Pretty interesting article, and I thought I would share it with all you guys (in a condensed way)….Here it is…

This is the culinary equivalent of the desi babu – gori mem hit jodi. He is street born and proud of a pedestrian bearing that makes him sharp, spicy and a survivor. She traces her heritage to snowy Russian Steppes, which make her cool, fluid and spirited. He is aspirational, and she is assimilative. You could’nt have found a more unlikely combination than pani puri and vodka.

The marriage, solemnised some years ago in five-star climes, was the creation of an F&B team seeking to tickle taste buds. I guess even they didnt imagine at that point of time that it would become a super-hit!

There are different versions of vodka pani puri.

A continental approach is to use cherry tomatoes and mozzarella cheese as filling, then dipped into the pani, and munched along with a shot vodka.

But the bestseller is the one in which the tangy pani is spiked with a liberal dash of vodka and spicy chaat fillings are used.  Sharpness of alcohol blends easily with tamarind water, causing a surprising impplosiion of tastes and flavors.

You might ask, what does vodka have that other spirits don’t? Why Vodka of all the spirits????

Perhaps because Vodka is a smooth operator. Its light and doesn’t have a strong odour. Rum is too robust. Whiskey is too male. Beer is all froth. Wine has too much attitude about its own taste, and doesnt lend itself to cocktail style mix and matches.

Whereas Vodka doesnt take away the essence of pani puri, but rather augments it. Vodka is an invader and a conquerer. Vodka always expands its horizon. No wonder if James Bond endorsed it.

Only when two flavours combine to create a kick that’s better than what you get from the individual foods does the pairing reach epicurien heights. Vodka Pani-Puri is one such combo.

I dont know if they serve it in any restaurant here in Singapore, but if they do please let me know for sure! I might buy you a few complimentary Vodka Pani- Puri mouthfuls!!

Just another day & truth about the KP “switch-hit”

22nd December 2008, Monday

2359hrs, Home.

I woke up at 3:49pm to Avi’s phone call. He told me he would come by my place later in the evening to get some software from me as he was doing his sister’s Final Year Project! Geek! I suddenly realised that the house didnt look like civilisation, it was really messy. So I decided to clean up the house as I have no hope from either of my two flatmates of any cleaning help. ( Sreejith too busy and mostly locked up in his own room, and Vishnu is supposedly busy, I dont know busy with what though!).

Took me some time to clean up the house after which I took a nice shower and sat down to watch some cricket. Yuvraj played well in the end on a rather boring day of play. It was as if he was replying to the sledging he got from the English players with his bat rather than his mouth. Kevin Pietersen had called him a pie-chucker balling left arm filth!!…HAHAAHA..!!

And yeah there is something I have to share here..before i forget it. Yesterday Vishnu told me that he had invented the ” Switch-Hit” while he used to play cricket as a child to tackle negative bowling!!… Its sad that its Kevin Pietersen who is taking away the credit when Vishnu Prasad should be getting it! (Hope that through my blog people will realise who really invented the shot.) And I wonder what he is doing here in Singapore, he deserves to be in the Indian Team with such hidden cricket talent in him.

Anyhow after the match got over I made myself some coffee and went online to research on places near Singapore where we could go for Chinese New Year holidays for a mini-getaway. After some discussion on Agastya’s Blog we shortlisted 2 places in malaysia- Langkawi Islands and Mulu Caves!! Still havent decided where but I guess it will be between these two, whichever is cheaper! I personally would love to go to Mulu Caves! Did you know there lies the world’s largest underground chamber, the Sarawak Chamber, capable of accommodating Forty Fucking Boeing 747 airplanes!!!! Here is a pic of the chamber, small part of it!!!

Anyways after that I was getting bored so I made some experimental fried rice dish for dinner. It turned out to be awesome.A few minutes later, Vishnu also supposedly got ” an idea” to cook something after seeing my dish. He fumbled around in the kitchen cooking his dish after that, but I didnt really care what he was doing, as I was eatching (eating food+watching show simultaneously, now a habit) Blackadder and Dexter! Blackadder is an awesome show! Highly Recommended! Go eatch it today!

Today I plan to go early to bed since I have to wake up early tomorrow to help Avinash with Saree-shopping at Mustafa!! He promised that if I accompany him to buy sarees he would buy me dinner! I am jobless anyways nowadays, so what the heck, for a free meal I am ok to go with him to buy sarees also!

End.

0032hrs

23rd December 2008.