Month: April 2020

  • Classes Apart

    Sometime back, during an evening out with friends of the ex-colleague kind, one of them remarked how, for the business analyst roles he was hiring for, he had asked his HR to only consider the IIT + IIM species. It’s an understandable heuristic, and one I have seen too often now to be vexed.

    In public, that is. It didn’t stop me from thinking of a subject that hasn’t appeared on the blog since 2016 – meritocracy. At a personal level, I have battled the systemic bias with whatever cognitive privilege I had, and made modest gains. There have been scars too – “the muscle memory of having to fight for every little thing“, and it’s only recently that I have been able to deal with it objectively, and heal. But increasingly, I have felt that education is the new caste.  (more…)

  • The Book of M

    Peng Shepherd

    When a man loses his shadow in India, it is seen as a curiosity. Until it turns out that when the shadow goes, sooner or later, memories too follow. The world, understandably, switches to panic mode, even as the contagion spreads across continents. Two years later, Ory and Max have managed to survive and create their own tiny, though dangerous world. Then Max loses her shadow, and knowing the danger posed to Ory, runs away. Ory follows, and thus begin two journeys. They’re both physical and metaphysical.

    There are two other significant narratives – that of Naz, Iranian and archer, and The One Who Gathers. The respective “road trips” quickly ups the pitch of the dystopian survival narrative, complete with street gangs, faithful fanatics, and a single destination towards which everyone is gravitating – New Orleans, the rumoured abode of The One Who Gathers.

    The premise is indeed interesting. Think about it – what does the loss of memories mean to one’s identity and sense of self? And is the sum of the person and his/her memories somehow lesser than the whole? Would a different physical body with the same memories be treated as the same person, or the other way?
    The author also manages to do a good job of fleshing out the characters, who are not just multi ethnic but differ in their sexuality too. Some of the twists and turns are inventive and Max’s recordings are poignant enough to pull at heartstrings, without any melodrama.

    However, it fails on a couple of points. The pace slackens a bit towards the middle, and it doesn’t help that the book is almost 500 pages. Additionally, though there is a bunch of folklore that do make sense in the context – from Peter Pan to Kerala’s most famous elephant – the rough edges are difficult to ignore. Add to that, seemingly random bizarreness like the Statue of Liberty attacking New York City are a little difficult to fit in.

    But that’s not too much of a put off, and once you get into the groove of the book, it makes for an interesting read.
    P.S. The hat tip to Ursula K. Le Guin’s (for A Wizard of Earthsea) is to be noted. 🙂

  • Kappa Chakka Kandhari

    With a name like that and the nostalgia it evokes, there is no way any Malayali can ignore the place. In fact, such was the spread that we have already made two visits and probably need at least a couple more to ensure that we have done justice to ourselves and the menu! Our first visit was in December during the week they opened, and the second was in early February. On both the occasions, we ensured we had company – if you want to make the most of the visit, this is what you should do too. The portion sizes are small, and that means you can just keep ordering.

    There is no toddy for now, and the name of the starters section – Touchings – rubs it in! But there are other favourites to make sure that you don’t miss it much. The Nannari Sherbhath is a great example of that, and given that non-Malayalis have seen Nivin Pauly’s Premam, you will recognise that first drink with its trademark khus khus. They also make a thick, delightful Morum Vellam – buttermilk with shallots, bird’s eye chilli and curry leaves. The Absolute Kandhari is another excellent drink, especially if you don’t mind the bird’s eye chilli. A couple of other drinks to try are the Guava Temptation and Kerala’s own Sharjah Shake! 🙂

    We began with the Prawn Kizhi. I use “we” loosely since prawns are allergic to me and try to make their way out of my body when I consume them. But I was told that the coconut masala was excellent. The Vazhappoo cutlet was next in line, and I largely ignored it, only tasting a bit. Nothing wrong with it, except that it is a veg dish, and I think when one is surrounded by all sorts of non-veg dishes, this was insulting! 😀 But the banana blossom and potato, crumb fried, is worth a try. And now on to some real food! Kallummakkaya is mussels cooked in a flavourful masala. Ask for it if you don’t see it in the menu. The last of the seafood among the starters was Koonthal Roast – fried squid rings with a chilli and turmeric marinade. How is it different from the standard stuff you get everywhere else? Our not-so-secret weapon – coconut oil!

    The only fowl play we experienced was the KCK Chicken Fry, I think there are better options on the menu. The Syrian Irachi fry is one of the reasons why one makes repeat visits – Central Travancore’s gift to mankind. It is quite literally a holy cow of Kerala cuisine, and KCK’s version does not disappoint. The Mutton Coconut fry had a generous portion of coconut shavings, which added a lot to the dish’s texture and complemented the meat’s taste too.

    The expanse of dishes is a feature of the main course too, but I have to admit there are a few things that we (D and I) are repeatedly drawn to. The Kappa Vevichathu and the Shappu Meen Curry is one such combination.  In English, tapioca and a toddy shop style fish curry – the latter served cold just as it should be. The Puttu Biriyani is another. We have tried the beef and chicken versions and loved both. If we had the appetite, we would have also repeated one of the Kanjis. Rice porridge – food for the soul.

    We also discovered new favourites on our second visit. For instance, Vattayappam with Tharavu Mappas. That’s fermented rice cake with a duck curry. What makes it an awesome combination – the mild sweet flavour of the former and the peppery hotness of the latter. The Pidi was great too – rice dumplings with coconut milk. The menu suggests a combination with the Ramapuram Kozhi curry. This is not bad, but I’d stick with the duck. D was adamant about trying the Ramassery Idli this time, and thanks to that, I tasted a “podi” I hadn’t in a couple of decades. This serves as an accompaniment to idli/dosa and is roughly, a coarse dry powdery mix made from a bunch of spices, pulses etc that you then mix with oil. The texture and taste varies as there are many versions. This one, I remember from my childhood vacations in Palakkad.

    For desserts, on your first visit, try the Kandhari ice cream because it’s unique- chilli ice cream. If you’ve had Wasabi ice cream, you’d have an idea. The Paalada (rice flakes and milk) is not bad. I am not a fan of Unnakkai so I will stay away from recommending it. The Pazhampori (banana fritters) was a surprise disappointment – the bananas were clearly not ripe enough. But here’s the thing – if you don’t really want to try assorted stuff, just ask for the Cloud Pudding, made of tender coconut. You won’t be disappointed and you will ask for repeats.

    The funny thing about all this is that you won’t really feel very heavy. Ask for a Sulaimani (black tea) to close the meal.

    The service is superb – friendly and prompt. Chef Regi Mathew makes it a point to drop in at tables and have a quick chat, and that adds to the homely touch that the dishes have in abundance. We will most definitely repeat, multiple times, the damn menu is like the Arabian Sea itself! 🙂 Now’s a good time to get back in touch with that Malayali friend of yours, and attack! Make sure you book in advance, because the second time we visited, there was a queue that spilled on to the road!

    Kappa Chakka Kandhari, #438, 18th Main Road, 6th Block, Koramangala Ph: 636471010

  • April flu!

    Covid19! As I watched people bang vessels, while washing mine, mopped the floor while waiting for the Sensex to please find one(!), and swept rooms while the lockdown enforced some sweeping changes, I also tried to step back and take a look – outwards and inwards – at what’s happening!  (more…)