Butter chicken - recipe

Dear readers,
You have probably understood by now, that I have a thing for thali..? Another personal favourite of mine (which is perhaps easier to re-create at home) is Dal - remember I shared our recipe?

However the rest of my family has some other favorites. An Indian dish which is a really big hit in our house, especially with my teens, is butter chicken. A dish that for us is India, with the scents and the flavours which fills the kitchen. It is a bit time-consuming to make - but so totally worth it:-)

This is how we do it:

You need:
4-5 chicken breasts
5 onions, chopped
4 big tomatoes, chopped
garlic/garlic paste
ginger paste
garam masala
chicken masala
red chili powder
cinnamon sticks
turmeric
coriander powder- and fresh coriander
(Some red/orange food colour)
1 box coconut milk
1-2 dl cashewnuts, chopped
2 dl fresh cream
2 dl yougurt
lemon juice
butter, oil

You do:
1. Evening before:
Chop the chicken in small pieces and marinate in fridge overnight in: 
4 ss yougurt
1 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp ginger paste
1 ss lemon juice
1 tsp chicken masala
You can also marinate the same day - leave for 2-3 hours at least.

2. Make the paste:
Fry the onions in a little oil untill golden. Add 1 tsp ginger paste and 1 tsp garlic paste and the chopped tomatoes. Mix. Add chili powder, 1 tsp turmeric, 2 tsp coriander powder and 1 tsp garam masala. Fry all together and mix well. Add a little salt and a little sugar. Add the coconut milk and let is boil together. Mix well- to get out most of the oil. Remove from heat and cool off. When chilled, pur in a blender and stir until it is an even paste. Set aside.

3. Add butter in a pan, add cinnamon sticks, a few curry leaves, 4 whole pepper corn and add the masala paste. Stir well to get most oil out.

4. Meanwhile in another pan, fry the chicken pieces and towards the end add the cashew nuts. When fried, add it all to the other paste mix. Add fresh cream and rest of the yougurt and let boil for a few minutes. If needed, add some water to make a more saucy butter chicken.
You enjoy!
Decorate with fresh coriander (the Indian parsley:-)) We eat butter chicken with boiled rice and/or shapata-bread and some fresh salad.  Yoummie:-) Hope you like it too:-)

Crawford market - at last!

Dear reader,
I have made a few halfhearted attempts before, but never really made it there. Once,  I was really close, but got caught up in X-mas decorations, and this delicious thali-place.  Another time I started out in the end where they sell the live animals and made a kind of hasty retreat - I guess you could call it. But today I made it! I made it to Crawford market!

The market is one of the most famous market places in South-Mumbai. It is named after the first Municipal Commissioner of the city, Arthur Crawford. The Crawford market building was designed by the British architect William Emerson, and it was completed in 1869. Interesting to find out also that the building was the first in India to be lit up by electricity, in 1882.

But for me, the Crawford market is more than the building in which you can find fruit, vegetables, and the animal market. The streets around the market building is also filled with small shops and stalls. Here are some moments from our day:

500 rupees, guys! And in any colour you would like:-)

Flower heaven- that is if you are the plastic-flower-lover-type:-)

Royal Spices- of course, what else?:-)

Sweets, dryfruits and spices:-) Inlaws tasting in the back:-)

Crawford market building in the back, mum-in-law in the front:-)

Strawberry yoummie:-.)

So, dear reader - another day full of impressions, and I now know where I can head out if I should need to get spices, fruits, vegetables, drynuts, party-stuff, stationary, baking products, kitchen-stuff, textile, clothes, plastic-flowers, make-up, cotton, saris, lamps, toys, sweets - and that was just the beginning... Puh!

With wishes for a wonderful evening - from Mumbai!



So, why do we blog?

Dear reader,
Unlike my teens, I didn't grow up in a kind of digital world, you know? They don't really believe me when I say that we didn't have cell phones when I grew up: But mom, how did you communicate? And they look at me with disbelief when I tell them we didn't have computers, internet or mp3's (which is outdated now anyway right?). And we didn't blog. No blogs.

Before we set out for India, I dived into all the sources I could find- on the internet. Desperately seeking information. How was it to live in Mumbai? The schools? The housing? How would life be there with teens? How would it be for us Europeans? Life in general for foreigners?

I then discovered the diary of a white Indian housewife. She gives a pretty good pictures on how it was for her, moving to India, and for an information-seeking-maniac like me, her blog was wonderful! I still enjoy to follow her life in Mumbai through her well established blog.

Then I came across a nice blog which I also still follow - by Karsten, my fellow countryman: From Norway to India blog. Very well written and with loads of useful information about moving to, adjusting and living in India! The other day he posted an interesting piece about blogging and why we blog, and it made me think...  You see, like Karsten, I started to blog to share our India-experience with family and friends mainly in Norway and Greece. But like Karsten, I discovered that a lot of my readers were actually in India. I have received so many nice emails from Indian readers. They give me feedback, tips of places to see in Mumbai, and maybe they think it is a bit funny to view their city through the eyes of a foreigner. Anyway, I really appreciate the dialogue my blog is generating and the new contacts I make.

I enjoy reading blogs that has a bit of humor, and it is that indefinable nice atmosphere in the blog that makes me return as a reader again and again. Once in Mumbai I discovered Jerk Masala - also a friend and fellow school-mum. I am laughing so much of the way she describes her Indian experiences. Check it out if you haven't already:-) I also found BombayJules. She has some very good pieces about places to see and discover in Mumbai! Very helpful for a newcomer like me, and I love her style: well written and with a lot of humor. The kind of humor that I like. Just great!

So once in Mumbai, of course my additional source to information has been real people, wonderful new friends from all over the world. They who send me an sms if they suddenly discover Gouda cheese in a shop, or call me to have a coffee or hang out just to chat. This weekend has for us been about celebrating friendship and being social. From our own harmonic Greek-Turkish-Danish-Norwegian party on Friday, via Back to the 80's Party with fellow school parents and teachers, (I know, it is hillarious to party with your kids' teachers.. :-) ) on Saturday to Brunching with good Indian friends today. Thank you all for being our friends!

I also just realized this is my first ever photo-free blogpost... But I might blog about the 80's party later on.. Great pics from that one...So be warned -  all my fellow high-haired multicolored friends, Top Gun pilots, Cindy Lauper wannabees and Karate Kid copies:-) And for the rest: stay tuned for a trip down memory lane! Wake me up before you go-go!

Enjoy the good moments everybody!

With NRK in the Mumbai slum

Dear reader,
When I sometime in the future will leave India, I think one of my most dear memory will be of the kids whom I meet with once a week in the slumhut area where I work as a volunteer. Remember, I told you about them? Today I was also there, but it was not just an ordinary day, because today I spent my time there with a radiojournalist from my home country Norway. (NRK = Norwegian National tv/radio). She is going to cover, amongst other themes, our project in the slumhut area with main focus on education.
She met with my co-workers at the office and I also told about my volunteer work. She talked to several mothers, met with pupils and students and visited the homes of some of the families. I think she enjoyed the open and honesty talks, and the friendlyness and interest she was met with. I was impressed with how she did her work; she really got the people to tell their stories, and with a gentle smile and genuine interest. And exiting stories it is! I'll try to let you know when it is on air, so we can share the stories with you too. Here are some moments from my day with NRK.

Talks with some of the mums - at the CFI office. 

Great talks on challenges,education, hopes and dreams for the future with teenage girls who are all studying in university/college.

She wants to be a doctor when she grows up.

Then we all went for a tour in the neighborhood, to visit the homes of some families

Theese ladies are part of a self-help group for women in the community

Some of the houses in the community

Well, dear reader, a memorable day indeed. My hope is that publicity like this may lead to a rise in the number of sponsors from my home country. By going to this community every week I see how much the sponsorship can mean to some families, and it enables them to get their children through school. It can really make a difference. A good feeling.

Good evening from Mumbai dear reader!

Dining outside outdoors - part 2

Hello,
The last few days has been hot, and today is yet another warm and sunny day here in Mumbai. People are talking about that summer is on the way... An Indian friend recently told me that we have only 2 seasons in Mumbai: Summer and Winter. Summers with 30-40 degrees and winters with 20-30 degrees roughly. And the monsoon season is from June-September, but even though it is raining it is still preeetty warm. So, living in this summerland, you might remember my passion for dining close to the sea and under the stars? And my persistent search for outdoor outside dining places? Well, after that post, I got some good tips about places to visit (thank you all:-) ). And yes, as someone pointed out to me: it might just be toooooo hot to dine outside in Mumbai in just some weeks or months (do you hear that over there in snowy Europe?) but until then (if I ever get to that point) I can still nurture my joy of dining under the stars and, if possible, close to the sea. I actually got all that in Aurus on Juhu beach, which we checked out some days ago. We didn't get there in time to see the sunset, but next time we will.

Because, yes, dear reader, this is a place we will come back to. Since my favourite Vie Lounge closed, this is another "on the sea" - spot which I really liked! The service was attentive and friendly, and the food was beautifully presented.  On Sundays they have an open grill and a barbeque menue, so we went for grilled fish, grilled chicken - and all the 6 in my company magically agreed that it was really tasty! (and here we are talking some fussy creatures amongst us...).

Aurus is open for dinner from 19.30 pm every day and from 17.00 pm on Sundays. It was quickly filled up, so book a table in advance. For me the best part of the evening was again to sit there with my raised glass and glance out over the ocean. Ahhhh, the joy of dining under the stars and close to the sea. It doesn't get better than that:-)

Bubbling starter of the meal.

Be early to secure your corner in this sofa. By the time we left it was all filled up.

Nice presentation of the food at Aurus:-)

PS! For the men: just remember to wear your pants (and not shorts) when visiting Aurus:-) We had a small discussion whether our teenager - with his half-on-the-lower-leg-pants - was wearing shorts or pants. Well, in the end we did agree it was more in the pants- than in the shorts-family.

That's all for now dear reader. Stay tuned:-)

The kolis in Worli

Dear reader,
Well, I told you about the smiling ladies and the smelly fish.But our visit to Worli Fishing Village was so much more. The fun thing was, having looked at this area from the car window crossing sealink, I was not so impressed, but still a bit curious of this slumhut looking area. Well I was in for a surprise!

You see, for over two thousand years ago, Mumbai consisted of seven islands, and Worli was one of the seven. The kolis, the tribal fisherfolk, lived there and still they are the inhabitants in theese quite tightly knit community. There are fishing villages with kolis also elsewhere in Mumbai, but I was told that the 600-year-old Worli Fishing Village is one of the best one to visit to get a picture of how the passing centuries scarcely have touched theese communities and their original patterns. And I learned that it was designed the way it is on purpose to keep the inhabitants safe from pirates. So, off we went, my fellow explorer friends and I, and we had a colourful and exciting morning with the kolis.

This is an area where even the flower pots are boats..:-)

The most surprising thing to me was how grey and brown the houses looked from far away, but how wonderful colourful the area was, because of the bright and varied colours of the houses:

See what I mean?  - different vibrant colours wherever we looked. In the village there is also a small Portugese fort from the time before the Raj. Worli was then a strategic vantage point to counter attacks from the sea. So the Christian Portugese marked the community, but the kolis found their own way. So, yes, you can see crosses and hindu temples here, but the temples are in bright colours and Virgin Mary wears a bright pink Sari! 

A very colourful temple!

Virgin Mary in a pink Sari!

The fishing village is situated on a sliver land cutting in to the sea. We walked right to the end of it, where you stare right up on the modern sealink bridge and where all the fisherboats are gathered. That is also where the fishermen clean their nets. The air breeze was strong out there, the birds were sitting waiting and we had a close look at the fish and the work that they do.

Today's catch

The fisherboats and the modern sealink bridge

And the birds unpationately waiting..

We enjoyed the smiling faces, and (to a certain extent) the smelly fish, the colours and the seabreeze.

PS. And a funny thing. We met this funny captain with his green parrot. And when we asked what the parrot is called they said "pappou". Well, pappou in Greek means grand-father, and since he was walking along there with us on the tour this caused alot of laughter and giggling. Pappou and pappou! Have a wonderful Sunday dear reader, and stay tuned!

 

Smiling ladies and smelly fish

Oh, dear reader. I am totally worn out and so full of impressions that I am about to burst, and I do not know how to compress this one day into one blogpost.

You see - ever since coming to Mumbai- we have usually used the sea link - this new bridge connecting southern and northern parts of the city - when we are going around in Mumbai. And everytime I have - from my car window - been looking down at the fisherboats, the grey and brow sheds and huts, the goats, the kids playing on the rocks next to the sea. And I was curious. Finally I got to visit it. And it was not quite like I had pictured.

In this area I saw houses in pink, orange, blue and green and temples in bright yellow. I saw a statue of Virgin Mary dressed in a pink sari and fisherboats in all the colours possible. Fruit, vegetable and flower sellers were all around, we saw parrots, the fishermen cleaning their nets and a saxophon player turned up from nowhere.

I just love the smile of this flowerseller:.-)

When I close my eyes and think about this tour, the first thing that comes to my mind is the bright smiles of the ladies we met, and - without really wanting it - the activity, smell and atmosphere from the local fish-market. So, dear reader- I will get back with more tales from this tour, but let me show you a few highlights from this day at Worli fishing village.

Bargain for the best price at the fish market

Some dried small fish perhaps?

Fish-sellers:-)

Broad selection ....

This is small octopus for sale

And just to finish with some smiling men to - in their coast-guard uniform - we were told:.)

  So, dear reader. Stay tuned for more tales from Mumbai, and have a lovely Saturday everyone!

A stroll in the park

Dear reader,
It is so called winter in India - and today is what we would normally call a nice summer day in Norway. Sunny with a mild breeze. Hot but not too hot. A perfect day for a stroll in the park. And you might remember that we have visitors from Greece here now, and that they are above average interested in trees, bushes and flowers of all kind.

So, a visit in the Hanging Gardens in Mumbai was a must! This wonderful park from the 1880's at Malabar Hill. Needless to say perhaps- that our flower-loving-visitors - loved this place.

They enjoyed the stunning view over Chowpatty beach and the colours and shapes of the flowers. They were less impressed by the persistent peacock-feather-sellers shadowing us around, but loved the senior-citizen-only-corner where senior citizen can enjoy today's newspaper in peaceful surroundings. And - it's the beginning of February! Here are some more moments from our stroll in the park:



Have a wonderful day dear reader, and stay tuned for more tales:-)

Mrs Helpteacher in action

Dear reader,
Do you remember I told you about arriving in Mumbai - at the airport? Well, actually I forgot to mention that first glimpse of the city you will have - at least if you arrive when it's daylight.You know, that moment when the plane touch the ground and you eagerly stare out the small airplane window? Where am I? What does this place look like? In Mumbai, it is very likely that the first thing you will see, are the small huts, the slumarea- and you will think to yourself: Do people live like that here?

Yes, they do. Around 5000 people live in this specific slum hut area close to the airport and the Marol pipe line. Most of them are low-income families. And one day every week, I go there, as a volunteer. Remember, I told you about being the potato in the office? These days, I am mainly helping a specific group of kids with their homework and English practice. Today we had a lot of fun with the book Tiny goes to the library. Tiny is like the biggest dog ever and is the best friend of this little boy. We also talked about singers we like, about cricket, mangos and about why Mrs Helpteacher is in Mumbai in the first place :-) (In addition to more serious stuff, of course.) And believe me, I benefit just as much as the kids hopefully do!

Many of the children get their education sponsored from abroad - and quite many of them from my homecountry Norway.  But we could always use more sponsors - so if you would like to sponsor a child's education or want to help in other ways - check out more info here. You can also send me an email. I can not think of a better way to improve a child's chances for a good life, than to secure hers or his possibility to complete an education. 

Ha ha ha- this stranger foreign help-teacher we have:-)

For good luck!

One of the nicer houses in the hutment area

Well, dear reader, I have had another memorable day in Mumbai. I hope you have had a good day too. And please stay tuned for more tales!  Thank you for popping in on my blog:-)

Half a year expat-ing in Mumbai

Dear reader,
When we were kids, the half years were very important - do you remember? I was not at all six years old, no, no. I was six-and-a-half! And just closing eight, I started the countdown to the day I could proudly announce: No-I-am-not-eight! -I-am-eight-and-a-half.  Something completely different. Not to mention closing up to eighteen! Then it seemed a bit childish to brag about being seventeen-and-a half, so I remember, just turned seventeen, I answered questions on my age with a vaguely: Ahh, I am basically eighteen! Not quite sure when it started to go the other way round if you now what I mean - when you start to turn twentynine every year- magically enough..

Well, I guess I am back to basic, because I just realized the other day that  we can now celebrate half a year as expats in Mumbai. Hurray! And some months it has been! Before we came here I was told about the different phases I should be prepared to go through.

From a honeymoon phase, when you see everything through those rose-tinted glasses, and enthusiastically embrace the food, culture, people and city.

Then to a rejection/negotiation phase, when the differences in culture starts to annoy you, and you are thinking: Oh-my-God, do-I-actually-have-to-live-here! 

After that you may move towards integration/assimilation/adjustment (you learn to live with the differences, and find a good balance). Some may find it too difficult, and instead withdraw from the new culture, feeling homesick and lonely. You can google new expat phases and read more if you like.

Here in Mumbai, I was so lucky to know a lot of open, friendly and helpful people, something that made the transition to Mumbai easier than it could have been. So, I would love to say that I am in the Honeymoon phase - because it just seems like the nicest phase to be - right? - but I think from day 1, I was in a kind of a mixed phase- and I still am. For me, it is all about the moments. I can still bubble over by the giggling crowd of school-kids, happily waiving to The Foreigners. I laugh of the ridgid security rules, and I get annoyed by the plumber who said he would be here last week. I get angry with the men driving motorbikes with helmet while the women and kids are with no helmet. I get happy to see vibrant flowers, the green parrots and a colorful sari.

And I think all theese feelings and ups-and-downs are intensified now, because we have visitors. My in-laws are staying with us, and they have never been in India before. Showing them around in Mumbai is renewing my views as well. Strangely enough- I suddely feel like a veteran. Because to see their enthusiasm for Taj Mahal hotel, the spices at the market, the colourful clothing, but also their reaction to the humpty roads, the dirt, the dust, the beggars, the slums- all of this makes me more aware as well, and takes me back to when we first arrived. It is quite amusing to drive them around in the car and listen to their annoyed and shocked outburst one moment, to cry of disbelief the next and then to enthusiastic and loud laughter. (And they are Greek you know- so no hiding of emotions!) And for me that is my Mumbai in a nutshell - half year down the road!

So, let me share with you a few of my In-laws' Mumbai highlights so far.

1. On top of their list is the visit we made to Gandhi's home here in Mumbai. It made a huge impression on them to see the room where he worked and lived. They have been talking about it every since, on how small and peaceful and nice it was.

2. My in-laws have a passion for plants and flowers, and often comment on how green it is around Mumbai, and how plants they have like small bushes in Greece are large trees over here. We must often stop the car so they can get out and examine some of the plants we drive by. The stops were more hasty after our driver told us of the frequent visits of leopards in the area. On the way north, they laughed long and long of this toll- booth in the middle of the green-ness:

3. Ok, maybe not a highlight, but they reacted to the dirty and bad roads in Mumbai. And the great contrast between the grey-brown colour of the houses and roads and then the colour - explosion of the saris and clothings made quite an impression. Also how the belly is worn with pride was a quite new thing to them:-)

4. And last but not least. Dear reader, you know what is coming now. ..Well, for my in-laws it was a great moment to visit the Gateway of India, and the Taj Mahal hotel. They enjoyed looking at the pictures inside the hotel, showing all the celebrities who has visited. John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Roger Moore, Bill Clinton - and here we were! 

Well, we have more Mumbai to explore with my in-laws! And today maybe we'll have a small celebration of half-a-year-in-Mumbai! Like when we were kids: the half-year matters too!
Stay tuned dear reader, and have a lovely Sunday!