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Articles by Ajit Saldanha
Can Roman ingenuity solve Bengaluru’s water crisis?
In the middle of the first century AD, the Roman inhabitants of Nimes in Provence decided they wanted more water for their city than nature had seen fit to grant them. So, they spent a hundred million sesterces on a solution. Near Uzes, Roman engineers found an abundant source of water and they drew up plans to divert the water 75km through mountains and valleys using an ingenious system of aqueducts and underground pipes.
Obituary: The legacy of Charles 'Chuck' Feeney, America's most generous philanthropist businessman
you are here: HomeNewsBusiness Feeney is the grandson of immigrants from County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, and he has been more than generous to the land of his forefathers providing the seed capital for the founding of the University of Limerick. October 15, 2023 / 01:35 PM IST American businessman-philanthropist Charles "Chuck" Feeney passed away, aged 92, on October 9.
Bengaluru's tunnel vision model of urban development
Urban planning experts say mega projects don't address Bengaluru’s traffic congestion issues, speedy approvals of Metro line expansion, integration and swift implementation of suburban rail projects, and increased funding for buses do.
In today's ruthless corporate world, Sir Ivan Menezes stood out for channeling his inner Gandalf
Sir Ivan Menezes (1959-2023) Sir Ivan Menezes, who recently retired as CEO, Diageo, the British FTSE 100 multinational alcoholic beverages company, passed away in London, UK, in the early hours of June 7, 2023, following complications from surgery for a ruptured ulcer. Menezes, who is survived by his wife, Shibani, and their children, Rohini and Nikhil, was born in Pune on July 10, 1959, into a family of high achievers.
935 episodes in, what makes MasterChef Australia work still?
MasterChef Australia aspires to the highest common factor rather than the lowest common denominator, unlike other reality shows where our voyeurism is sated by kidults throwing tantrums. Contestants on MasterChef Australia Season 15, streaming on Disney+Hotstar in India. (Image source: Twitter/masterchefau) Parathas, bananas, eggs and milk: this unlikely quartet of ingredients blended in a grey sludgy mess, was the staple breakfast of my boyhood friend, Aziz.
King Charles III coronation: The British Royal's India connections
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and actor Sonam Kapoor are among the Indians invited to the coronation of King Charles III. Many moons ago, my significant other and I were leafing through BabyNames for something suitable for our second daughter and after some back and forth we settled on the name Kamila.
The taste test
The taste test Great Britain’s three very different countries — England, Scotland and Wales — each with their rich tapestry of culture, have an influence on its culinary traditions, writes Ajit Saldanha Ajit Saldanha, Nov 06 2022, 00:53 ist updated: Nov 06 2022, 01:00 ist Despite being a victim of colonisation, I have always had a sneaking admiration for the British; which other country has the chutzpah to display stolen jewellery in the Tower of London and call it the Crown jewels?
Wot an ultimate fare!
Has connectivity influenced global eating habits? You bet, and in far more ways than seem apparent at first glance. To put it in perspective, let’s just step back in time and look at the dynamics that came into play with the advent of the cyberworld. The geek’s definition of “connectivity” is “the unbiased transport of packets between two endpoints,” which, interestingly enough, is also the essential definition of “IP” or Internet Protocol.
Malnad magic
Located in the Sahayadri Hills of Karnataka, Malnad is blessed by the majestic Tungabhadra which brings prosperity and biodiversity to its fortunate populace. The cooking style is based on the imaginative use of local produce: consequently, ingredients such as tender bamboo, colocasia leaves, turmeric leaves, raw jackfruit and jaggery which would be considered exotic in other parts of the state are fairly commonplace in a Malnad kitchen.
For a modern Indian twist to food...
Another year has rolled by and perhaps it’s time to shine a light on a style of cooking best described as modern Indian. The one thing guaranteed to make Padma Lakshmi throw a hissy fit is when some well-meaning gora goes, “So Pad-ma, when are you gonna call us over for a curry?” On one episode of Ugly Delicious, while dishing up a home-cooked meal for celebrity chef David Chang, she mutated into a hell-hath-no-fury-like-a-curry-scorned mode when Chang raised the subject.
Breakfast of champions
I have a distinct childhood memory of my mother serving us a bowl of cornflakes and milk with a sliced banana. “Hurry up and finish it, it’s good for you,” she would say, which explains my aversion to cereal. I can handle oats but cornflakes are like sloppy seconds, suitable for geeks with attention-deficit issues. Nutritionists tell us that breakfast should be our most important meal of the day which is why we should ramp up on protein and fibre and dial down on carbs and sugar.
From the land of the wizards of Oz
You have to hand it to the Aussies... their forefathers may have been packed off to a penal settlement for the Les Miserables crime of stealing a loaf of bread, but they have evolved in terms of culinary advancement, while the Brits subsist on bangers, mash and badly made curry. Australians know a lot about food, they understand flavours and being of a naturally adventurous disposition, they are unafraid about eating the world.
Talking Turkey
Back in the glory days of the Ottoman Empire, one of the unintended consequences of military adventurism occurred when the Turks first tasted exotic spices from the East and discovered they couldn’t do without them; consequently, their chefs adapted and perfected the use of spices in many of their classic dishes.
Coorg’s copious cuisine
Kodava cuisine is characterised by the generous use of spices often freshly picked from the coffee estates for which the region is justly famous. Pepper, star anise and the locally grown paringi mallu, aka bird-eye chilli, which is tiny in size but packs a wicked punch, play complementary roles while the usual suspects, ginger, garlic and oil, are sparingly used.
Wrap & roll
How do you select a topic, is a question I am often asked. Tapping the side of one’s nose while mysteriously muttering the word, “sources” is an annoying response, but just happens to be the truth. Obviously one can’t scour hallis and galis in search of greasy spoons recommended by all and sundry. One could land up on the wrong side of the tracks in Fraser Town at ‘Relax Joint’ — I swear it exists.
Shang a light on me
If I had a yuan for each time I have endured pretentious drivel on the subject of “authentic Chinese food”, I’d be in a position to rebuild the Great Wall of China. I could build it in Mexico, trumping two twits with one stone, to twist a cliché. Trying to slot the culinary magic of China into pre-determined categories is just silly; Sichuan is spicy, Shandong is salty and crispy while Cantonese is predominantly sweet and subtle…you see what I mean?
God’s own platter
Once in a blue moon, amid the cluster of greasy spoons, latte louts and pan-Asian pretension in namma Bengaluru, one is privileged to stumble upon a hidden gem founded on the simple concept of grandmotherly wisdom. Kappa Chakka Kandhari — the name draws its inspiration from the holy trinity of tapioca, jackfruit and bird eye chilli that symbolises Mallu food.
Chetty, Chetty, Bang Bang!
The word kairasi in Tamil means luck, but I like to think it could also be used to describe chefs blessed with a golden hand. Taking the road less travelled from Thanjavur to Chettinad via Madurai can be a richly rewarding culinary experience. Even in a tiny hamlet, one can always find a Muniyandi Vilas or ‘Military Mess’ serving an assortment of specials from mutte barota (egg paratha) to vartha kari (fried meat). What they lack in hygiene they will make up for with honest sapad.
The Bridge Column: Dial ‘e’ for expert
By S K IYENGAR & AJIT SALDANHA Far from the madding crowd of the competitive circuit, there exists a large constituency of bridge players who enjoy the game in clubs and homes. The changing demographic pattern, with 65% of the population under the age of 30 is resulting in an ever-increasing number of senior citizens who play for fun, although there is always a competitive undercurrent to provide that frisson of excitement.
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