Well YES…the wait is over and monsoons are here finally. Everything is lush green, beautiful and fresh. Creepers grow wildly in the unlikeliest of places; colours gain their brightness and glow; afternoons for a change become pleasant and nights become clear and lucid after the rains cease for a while.

A lot of us love the rains… but a lot of us also hate this weather (the hating part comes with the territory) when we are afraid of getting late for office or meeting meet our girlfriends or boyfriends, fearing splashes of water while walking on roads, always having to carry an umbrella and clothes that don’t dry. And life couldn’t be more messy and damp during these days in addition to NO sunshine, waterlogged streets, bad roads, flight delays and long traffic jams, with the hating-reasons list stretching to infinity. Raincoats, umbrellas and a general damp feeling are sometimes what our lives are reduced to…! In a nutshell we pray for the rains to come but when it comes, we pray for it to stop!!

Nonetheless we love the respite from hot weather, and love it more dearly when we are at home, in a relaxed mood, standing at the window and just looking at the rain drops falling on everything that our eyes can accommodate. Different types of weather generally stimulate different emotions in all of us and rainy weather is known to bring back memories of things long forgotten, things we always wished for, wanting to get drenched in the rain like a kid again, and definitely the feeling of déjà vu (we don’t know why it happens…but it just happens). What we endlessly wish in this weather is to eat samosas and pakodas along with nice hot tea and enjoy the evenings with our loved ones.

Well this month there are a few more reasons to enjoy the weather with pakodas, samosas and mithais (sweets). There are a lot of festivals and important days to be enjoyed. The first important event is that we will be completing 61 years of our nation’s independence on the 15th. Celebrated all over India (and now by Indians throughout the world) Independence Day is a day that reminds and reasserts every year, our nation’s successful achievement of 1947, which enabled us to break free from the colonial rule of the British. Independence has given us a chance to be what we are today globally; it has made us the largest democratic nation of the world and this is the quality that is celebrated all over India in its full splendour and totality and not just the independence.

During this day, as the Prime Minister hoists the Indian flag at the historical site of the Red Fort in New Delhi, the national flag is hoisted in similar fashion, all over India, as a mark of our independence from the British rule. From kite flying to distributing sweets, India’s secularity is conspicuously seen even in the remotest areas of our nation.

The very next day—that is the 16th —is the full moon night of the Shravana month and is celebrated as Raksha Bandhan. Known to be the day that is a marker of the love between sisters and brothers, the day is celebrated with sisters tying the Rakhis or the sacred thread on the wrists of their brothers. The Rakhi signifies love, security and a bond of protection between brothers and sisters, where the brothers pledge and vow to protect, love and care for their sisters all their lives. Raksha in Hindi means ‘protection’ and Bandhan means ‘a bond’. The fervor of this day starts at least a week before the actual day, where markets become inundated with different designs of Rakhis, clothes and gifts among other things. Where sisters become busy in buying beautiful rakhis, the brothers also start to look for return gifts that they give as per the ritual. Although we are not all lucky to be blessed with brothers or sisters, the festival is still celebrated with little girls and even women tying rakhis to idols of male deities, asserting the belief per se.

Krishna Janmashtami

It is actually not the best time of the year to go out for a vacation as the rains have reached almost everywhere in India (ongoing or the retreating monsoon, it’s the same picture everywhere); nonetheless we will keep acquainting you with places we think are worth a visit during this lifetime.

One of these places is Pelling, situated in the north eastern state of Sikkim, it is the nearest inhabited place to Mt. Kangchenjunga (the third highest peak in the world). From snow-capped mountains to the beautiful scenic valleys, Pelling, situated at an altitude of 6, 800 ft also provides a magnificent view of road routes (especially from Dzongri La to the Rathong glacier), mountain peaks and ranges including Koktang, Dom, Rathong, Siniyalchu and others. This little town is located at a distance of 125 kms from Gangtok and 133 kms from Siliguri, and is very easily approachable by buses and cars/taxis. Apart from the beauty of the place with the classic setting and landscape of the mountain ranges in the backdrop, the town is a starting point for tourists who are interested in trekking on soft trek routes while viewing the beautiful waterfalls and springs on the way.

Pelling holds a special place for people who believe in Buddhism. Around Pelling, one can find two major monasteries, the Pemayantse monastery and the Sangacholing Monastery. Pemayantse monastery is the abode of the ‘Ta-Sang’ Lamas (Pure Lamas). Built around the 17th century, the monastery was established by Lhatsun Chempo and is presently inhabited by more than a hundred lamas with relics and objects of worship, including a wooden sculpture which depicts the Heavenly Palace of the Mahagurus, ‘Sanghthokpalri’.

Have you ever pondered over “What makes the difference between home-cooked food and ‘5 star hotel-cooked’ food?” Well…the major difference which we all presume is that chefs usually use a variety of spices, herbs and condiments (which we would gladly want to know), that WE don’t commonly use in our kitchens, which is very true! However this fact always incites another question which is “Which special spices or ingredients do chefs use?” After all we do use the garam masala which is a mixture of all the major spices.

Nonetheless, we came to the conclusion that using spices or herbs in their very natural state is what makes a difference.

So let us tell you about one of the spices that is a favourite of all the chefs. Star anise, known in India as Chakra Phool or Anasphal is the spice that, although used as an integral component in the preparation of garam masala, is also used separately in a variety of culinary preparations. As the name suggests, the spice is the shaped liked an eight-pointed star and is a fruit that is obtained from the covering of Illicium verum (an evergreen tree, native to China ). The fruit is harvested before it ripens which is usually found in a reddish-brown colour , after which it is dried in the sun, during which the flavour and aroma develops and is enhanced.

Star anise is used as a very important savoury flavour in Indian and mainly in Chinese cuisine. Used extensively in marinating non-vegetarian food items (meat, lamb) and even vegetables, it is also used as an integral part of the condiments that are prepared for flavouring pickles, curries and sauces as it is strongly aromatic, warm and sweet in flavour. Apart from being a spice, star anise also has some medicinal properties. It is used as a remedy for curing rheumatism, colic and also to aid digestion.

Well there are a few tips if you are seriously considering using this spice while preparing special dishes. Remember to always buy and use star anise pieces that are not broken. Also, don’t store them in an open container but a sealed one so that the aroma and flavour of the spice is maintained throughout.

But no matter what spice or ingredient you use, food always tastes good when it is cooked with love. Happy Cooking!!