Brunch 08 09 2013

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WEEKLY MAGAZINE, SEPTEMBER 8, 2013 Free with your copy of Hindustan Times

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B R E A K FA S T O F C H A M P I O N S DOWNLOAD CENTRAL IS BACK!

After a long pause, Sanjoy Narayan’s column hits play again. Now, as a fortnightly.

THANK YOU! Thank you dear readers, for the overwhelming response to our Music Special! Naturally, there was much debate and discussion about the final list of the 32 best-loved songs! Our Twitter timeline went into overdrive and for a while, we were trending all over India! Once again, here’s how we arrived at the masterlist of 32 songs. If a song appeared more than once in any of the lists (that is, Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle’s lists, plus the lists of the 15 music stalwarts we interviewed), it went into the masterlist! Brunch’s own playlist (#BigBrunchPlaylist) included our personal favourites and had nothing to do with any list given by the musical legends. Yes, there can NEVER be any one list that people will agree on! Frankly, that’s the fun of it. But please do send us songs that you think should be part of India’s Definitive Bollywood Playlist. We look forward to hearing from you. TWEETS FOR OUR MUSIC SPECIAL These are just a few of the many. many tweets we received. Thank you all so much! We cherish each and everyone’s response. @raghav_s90 Absolutely loved the cover story @HTBrunch Any old hindi music fan would just dig it :) Great idea to compile into a Youtube #BrunchPlaylist @sinharoysayani I read Guide during my grads & 2days @HTBrunch reminded me of those long lost days wen a not-so ideal luv story of Rosy & Raju fascinated me. @saumyakaim Old songs but still refreshing as ever! Time to increase my playlist! A lot of work has been put up by you guys, Great Edition. @HTBrunch @mustafahasan Brilliant feature by #HTBrunch on the best #Bollywood melodies...some great classics included in there... @guptakshita @HTBrunch The cover story (The greatest Bollywood playlist ever!) was a very good read, indeed. It was fresh, new and the layout was great! @Dipannitasharma #HT brunch today. The greatest Bollywood playlist! Drool worthy collection... music lovers. Do not miss!! @glitterwall: Burning the midnight oil with the best of Shahryar, Gulzar and Majrooh Sultanpuri. @HTBrunch has rekindled love for ’60s, ’70s music :) @NehaDivekar: @HTBrunch Still hungover from your dose of music. You guys just get more & more awesome with every issue! :D

Cover design: SWATI CHAKRABARTI Cover illustration: SIDDHANT JUMDE

A song for every mood JERRY PINTO is the author of Helen: The Life and Times of an H-Bomb I believe that it is almost impossible to judge lyrics out of context. A song always has so much going for it, so many memories tied to it. “Here I come and there you hum,” says Raju Bharatan in his book on Lata Mangeshkar. The tune is a huge crutch and can often cover up weak lyrics. And then there is the movie itself: few unsuccessful films leave any music behind but equally few successful films have unsuccessful music. And yet so many of the songs I have loved, I remember in tandem: can I separate the delicate beauty of Supriya Pathak and the gentleness of Farooque Shaikh from Dikhai diye yoon and Phir chhidi raat baat phoolon ki from Bazaar (1982)? Or the face and adas of Rekha in

AAMIR RAZA HUSAIN is a playwright, author and director

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ords make you think. Music makes you feel. A song makes you feel a thought.” These words by American lyricist Yip Harburg ring true when you are serenaded by any of your favourite songs. We asked some passionate music lovers about the songs that define their different moods and emotions. Here’s what a few good experts, lovers all of Bollywood’s melodies, shared with us... Enjoy!

Umrao Jaan’s Yeh kya jagah hai doston or even the sudden perfection of Asha Bhosle’s singing, a perfection we had not noticed before that? 1. Seene mein jalan, aankhon mein toofaan (Gaman, 1978). Muzaffar Ali used Shahryar’s poem with great respect and to great effect to emphasise the alienation of his hero – “aaina hamein dekh ke hairaan sa kyon hai?” I also feel that most lyricists pay attention to the first few lines or to the lines they think will ‘catch’ and patch the rest of the song together. 2. The qawwali in Mughal-e-Azam (1960) holds for me as a perfect dialogue between the pragmatic and the romantic. It is sung exquisitely too so that the two versions of Teri mehfil mein kismat aazmaakar hum bhi dekhenge... in the voices of Shamshad Begum and Lata Mangeshkar are inflected differ-

Teesri Manzil (1966). These are just a couple of songs at the top of my mind among many other favourites such as Hum bekhudi mein tum ko from Kaala Paani (1958) and Main zindagi ka saath from Hum Dono (1961). – as told to Aasheesh Sharma

1. Jaane kahan gaye woh din (Mera Naam Joker, 1972). It always manages to make me nostalgic, particularly about the development of Lucknow, the city from where I come. I used to go back to the city every In the beginyear, but I don’t get the ning of O time to do that now. haseena, the 2. When you talk about the mood and emotion of person on the romance, I used to hum a drums is Salim Khan of the host of songs for my wife, mostly sung by Rafi duo SalimJaved and picturised on Shammi Kapoor, such as O haseena zulfon wali from

SANJAY MANJREKAR is a former India cricketer and commentator “I can listen to songs sung by Kishore Kumar and Lata Mangeskhar all day. Kishore Kumar is my God. But his number Phoolon ke rang se (Prem Pujari, 1970) is my all-time favourite. It is romantic and mellow, and the lyrics by Neeraj and the music by Sachin Dev Burman do tremendous justice to Kishore’s haunting voice.” – as told to Aasheesh Sharma

The songs of Prem Pujari were penned by the famous lyricist poet Neeraj EDITORIAL: Poonam Saxena (Editor), Aasheesh Sharma, Rachel Lopez, Tavishi Paitandy Rastogi, Mignonne Dsouza, Veenu Singh, Parul Khanna, Yashica Dutt, Amrah Ashraf, Saudamini Jain, Shreya Sethuraman

When Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam was submitted for the Oscars, the academy wrote a letter to Guru Dutt saying a woman who drinks was not a permissible taboo in their culture ently; the first with suggestiveness and the second with yielding. And there is the cold “kisi din yeh tamaashaa muskuraake hum bhi dekhenge” with that close-up intensifying the predestination of the words. 3. There is the lovely Shokhiyon mein ghola jaaye from Prem Pujari (1970) that defies its stupid picturisation; there’s Phoolon ke rang se, dil ki kalam se which I also love for the way the words move.

AJAY BIJLI is the chairman and managing director of PVR Limited I can’t think of any anecdotes related to songs, but some stir up memories of the time in my life when they released. Some still stir up my emotions when I listen to them or hum them. 1. I’m quite a romantic, and sing Oh mere dil ke chain (Mere Jeevan Saathi, 1972) to my wife.

4. And for their huge denunciation of modern society those two songs from Pyaasa (1957): Jinhe naaz hai Hind par woh kahan hai? and Yeh takhton, yeh taajon, samaajon ki duniya. From the same film, for its yearning: Aaj sajan mohe ang laga lo. 5. From Sahib, Bibi aur Ghulam (1962), the magnificent Na jaao saiyyan, which marks the descent of the suhaagan, Piya aiso jiya mein samaay gayo re to the solipsism on the floor of her own bedroom, making drunken love to a bottle. 6. There’s the politically charged, Aap ki dua se sab theek-thaak hai from Mere Apne (1971) and the elegant dismissive cynicism of Kuch to log kahenge from Amar Prem (1972). A thousand songs in my head. I have been unfair, unfaithful. – as told to Aasheesh Sharma 2. Yeh jeevan hai (Piya Ka Ghar, 1972). Another Kishore Kumar number, this song is a slice of life, not too sad, not too happy. My mom really likes it. 3. Ajj din chadheya (Love Aaj Kal, 2009). Although it’s a slow song, I love it for its positivity. – as told to Veenu Singh

After seeing Giselli Monteiro’s screen test, Imtiaz Ali’s wife suggested he cast her for the role of Harleen in Love Aaj Kal BHAICHAND PATEL is the author of Bollywood’s Top 20 and Mothers, Lovers and Other Strangers

1. Ajeeb dastan hai yeh (Dil Apna Aur Preet Parai, 1960). On my first serious date, I bought two balcony seats for the movie at Roxy in Bombay. After the interval, I nervously put my hand on A still from Gore hers. She immediately withgore, o banke drew hers. Later, we had chhore, (Samadcold coffee at The Parisian hi). It was the as we listened to the juke box. The film was forgettable but the song highest earning has endured. Karan Johar paid tribute to it film of 1950 in Bombay Talkies (2013). 2. Jaayein toh jaayein kahaan (Taxi Driver, 1954). Dev Anand and Talat [Mahmood] at their best. Hear it in the wee hours of the morning, lights dimmed, with a glass of cognac. 3. Gore gore, o banke chhore (Samadhi, 1950). This rousing number composed by the versatile C Ramchandra can get everyone on the floor. – as told to Veenu Singh

DESIGN: Ashutosh Sapru (National Editor, Design), Monica Gupta, Swati Chakrabarti, Payal Dighe Karkhanis, Rakesh Kumar

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Drop us a line at:

brunchletters@ hindustantimes.com or to 18-20 Kasturba Gandhi Marg, New Delhi 110001

SURENDER MOHAN PATHAK is a bestselling Hindi detective fiction author 1. Mata o mata, jo tu aaj hoti (Ab Dilli Door Nahin, 1957). I lost my mother early. This song reminds me of her. 2. Munna bada pyara, mummy ka dulara (Musafir, 1957). When I became a father in 1971, I could instantly relate to this song. Now my son is 41 but I still love it. 3. Dil ki umangein hain jawaan (Munimji, 1955) Dev Anand’s charisma is unstoppable. 4. O bichhde hue saathi (Hulchul, 1951). It reminds me of the time when my girlfriend and I stayed away from each other in 1964. 5. Mere mehboob qayamat hogi (Mr. X in Bombay, 1964). Kishore’s voice and the lyrics are – as told to Aasheesh Sharma haunting.

MORE ON THE WEB

To listen to our 32 songs masterlist, and the #BigBrunchPlaylist, log on to YouTube.com/ hindustantimesbrunch

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REEL TO REAL In this four-part series, four young professionals tell us how their life is just a little bit like life on television shows PART 3

Suit Up! In the real world of corporate law, bosses are demanding, secretaries unavailable and conversations mundane. But you do wear a good suit by Faraz Khan

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IKE ROSS is racing through the streets of New York on a bicycle, dodging yellow cabs, not breaking a sweat. Then there’s me sitting in my car, senselessly switching between the cacophony of a zillion radio channels on offer these days, waiting restlessly for the never-ending traffic snarl in front of me to clear. Not to mention the constant honking, dust, fumes, occasional cows, spitting auto drivers and the not-so-subtle hand gesture I’ve just received from the HR-number car I cut too close.

ALL WORK, NO PLAY

Anyhow, Mike reaches office to a thrilling legal issue. He is then pulled in to a swirl of meetings by the charismatic Harvey Specter, New York’s finest closer, with his records, priceless sports memorabilia and witty film references. There’s some to-and-fro between the associate and the partner, the yuppie and the legend. Some good music and brilliant repartee later they’ve cracked it. Mike finds that one answer that lays the whole case wide open and Harvey,

Photo: RAJ K RAJ

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complete with old-fashioned selfassurance, validates it. Together they possibly save a few careers – if not lives – while at it. All this time you’ve seen Ross enter the library maybe once, to delegate some research to Rachel, the paralegal (who wouldn’t want that, right?). He’s not one to sit in front of a computer, he chases some witnesses up and down New York streets. He never breaks a sweat. I, on the other hand, reach office to a mountain load of paper work. Yes most of it is possibly spilledover from work ignored earlier. I sit in front of my computer and flit between reading, researching and drafting from dawn to dusk to dawn. The only movement I get? Coffee and occasional breaks brought upon by the severe nicotine dependency. Then, back to the monotony of the Qwerty keyboard.

BUT WHERE IS THE ACTION?

Life-and-death legal battles? Challenging issues with clever opposition threatening to outsmart you? The only times I visit the library feel

HIS LIFE ON SCREEN ■ Suits is about two lawyers – Harvey Specter, a real

lawyer and Mike Ross, a college dropout (and former drug dealer) pretending to be a lawyer at an all-Harvard law firm. They have to make sure they don’t get caught, while they strut around New York winning cases. ■ Aaron Korsh, the creator of the show, was an investment banker before he turned to television. Suits was originally supposed to be based on Wall Street. ■ All of Harvey’s suits are from Tom Ford.

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like a German drill. And even if I, in my wildest imagination, ever choose to go to the library and chat up a paralegal, I know exactly what I’d find – a lost intern in his father’s suit. Not exactly Rachel. Aah Rachel! There is this one moment in Season Two where Mike Ross grabs Rachel by the arm, kisses her on the mouth and goes, ‘I got your message’. Perhaps that moment is what sets us apart in the most poignant fashion. I knew a girl at this law firm I worked at prior to my current engagement. You wouldn’t believe it but she looked like Rachel Zane even before I knew who Rachel Zane was. But unlike the show where Mike Ross is the recipient of the lovelorn message, I was the sender, a countless number of times. I am not uncomfortable or embarrassed about being in that position. It comes naturally to the Indian yuppie. Our deprived behaviour leaves but little space for women to exist in peace. They have no choice but to step onto a pedestal. She never got the message. In Suits, it’s not just Mike, Harvey and Rachel who’re perfect. The secretaries have a better sense of humour than most stand-up comedians. The relationships are always crackling, the discourse always witty and the clothes always trend-

KNEE-DEEP IN WORK

Faraz Khan reaches office to a mountain load of paper work every day setting. My office in comparison? Bosses are demanding, secretaries unavailable and the conversations mundane and incomplete. Of course by the time the copious amounts of work has been negotiated, if not completed (it’s never complete), all of the Delhi glimmer is long dead. So you trudge home, maybe watch some TV about the glorious lives that lawyers lead in New York.

Go to the library to chat up the paralegal? I’d find a lost intern in his father’s suit

THE HARD TRUTH

There is a class of unreal optimists amongst the present crop of young lawyers who eagerly watch the show and mentally fist pump at the end of each episode. I have nothing against them. But I do have a reality check for them: the real stuff. It’s not really part of the show. You will never see Mike Ross wake up groggy after a generous three hours of sleep and iron his shirt. You will not see him clean up after his drunk friend who had one too many following an excruciating fourteen-hour-workday. Mike Ross is an illusion. But he wears good suits. That, we do too! brunchletters@hindustantimes.com

Faraz Khan is an Associate at a leading corporate law firm


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C OV E R STO RY

N A SIMPLER time, the critic ruled. His (or her) word was the only word, the final word. Opinions were shaped, reputations made and businesses flourished on the back of their endorsement. If you had a view too, there was no one to listen. Today, comment is free and opinion is everywhere. On burrp! and Zomato, regular people with regular appetites are telling you just how mini the mini macarons are at the pretentious new café. A 300-page book has 900 reviews on Amazon. People around the world are using TripAdvisor to volunteer their own experiences of the ‘cosy, rustic suite’ you are booking for your holiday. There are online user reviews for film, music, technology, video games, salons, cars – even for the Taj Mahal. Regular nobodies with regular jobs are collectively offering more information than any expert’s one-time-only comments. And yet, you need only to browse through a few user opinions to realise how much of it is illinformed, badly communicated and unsubstantiated. For any sense to emerge, you’ll have to trawl through 30 “awesomes”, 40 “bulls**ts” and a few, “Taj sux… Y so white, yaar?” For some things (like groceries), there’s just no full-time expert; for some others (like movies) there’s no single site for user reviews. So what’s a Brunch reader to do – stick to the expert or consult everyman for everything? We spoke to both sides and here’s what we found…

I’M A CRITIC!

ROOPASHREE NARAYAN aka roopashree.bn

“My 9-to-6 job in HR left me with lots of free time. I’d visit burrp! for reviews and eventually began writing them myself. I now have 256 reviews up and it feels good when those I know call me for recommendations, though friends just keep expecting me to post more reviews. I’m a people person and this has helped me build a network of people and restaurateurs. I’m often asked which job is better. Reviewing is my passion, not my job.”

As more users take to the web to post reviews of restaurants, food, travel, tech and just about everything else, whom should you trust – the critics or the crowds?

Who’s the expert now? by Rachel Lopez

Restaurant Critics v/s Raging Foodies

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eviewing a meal isn’t like reviewing a book. For one thing, it’s as much a practical product as an artistic endeavour (a small portion will leave a diner hungry, while a slim book can still be quite fulfilling to read). And unlike a film, album or book, meals are created separately for every diner. “So the review will always be of an individual experience,” says Vir Sanghvi, the country’s best-known food critic. Several reasons make userreview sites like burrp! and Zomato more helpful than individSEPTEMBER 8, 2013

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SAY WHAT? “Denser than a deep dish pizza, as dark as a David Lynch film…”

a ‘must try’ and ‘best avoided’, value for ual critics. They store money, child friendliness reviews of every restauand parking, bring a rant – not just the completeness to it all,” newest one – and their he explains. crowdsourced repositoDiners score over critry is so wide, no critic ics in another aspect. A user review can compete. “There is an inkling of for Too Faced At burrp!, COO suspicion that critics get mascara Sandeep Das, describes the best of what an user reviews as “real establishment has to experiences shared by real people”. offer,” Das says. Sanghvi agrees. He adds that their site’s new segre“Most reviewers are recognised,” he gated rating system even allows says explaining it’s why he rarely users to rate ambience, service and does reviews and why he comes price, in addition to the food. clean in his review when he is spot“Specifics such as which dishes are ted. “The biggest advantage a diner-


ANAGGH DESAI aka lashkar

“When burrp! had just started, I uploaded 100 reviews in a single night. The co-founder called to confirm that I was not a bot! I have 380 reviews up, but it’s not a public service, just a way to satisfy my ego. Still, I’ve mellowed. I ask ‘Do I want to get into a fight with the hipster who thinks frozen yoghurt is fantastic?’ Not anymore.”

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I’M A CRITIC!

Book Critics v/s Compulsive Readers

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reviewer has is that he is anonymous,” Sanghvi says. Crucially, critics rarely pay for meals – their publication or the restaurant usually does. It makes one wonder if this influences how a critic orders and perceives value for money. “There’s some hypocrisy there,” he says. Why listen to a critic then? Because the masses don’t know everything. “The average restaurant critic is still more experienced,” Sanghvi explains. “He or she knows how the process works. For instance, if dessert took time coming, they’ll know that it’s not a service issue but a kitchen issue. Diners tend to like what is already

ritics believe it’s doubly important for a book reviewer to also be a good writer. After all, a wellwritten review of a terrible book is more helpful than someone’s garbled commentary about a book that’s actually wonderful. Or is it? Harvard Business School compared the top 100 non-fiction reviews from 40 like the book.” Here’s where critics Western publications (2004have the upper hand. “If a reviewer 2007) to data from sites like writes about how wonderful a novel is Amazon and published the because it, say, captures the truth results this year. It appeared the about father-daughter relationships critics and crowds concurred. or the absurdities of bureaucratic But the subtle differences were India, these may be telling: Users tended to the qualities that don’t be more favourable to SAY WHAT? interest you,” he says. debut authors, indicating “It’s horrible. For populist that critics might be closeIt does not authors, Hazra finds minded. And critics tended that user reviews are to respond more favourably reflect the a “feedback form”, a to books by prizewinning history of the way for the author to authors – another sign that time at all.” gauge customer satisexperts are swayed by faction and drive laurels. A user review for Game Of Thrones future sales. “The Amazon (which operates Season 1 user reviewer is the as a marketplace or a platquantitative force that form for retailers), displays many writers can’t ignore,” he reviews from both literary Illustrations: Swati; Siddhant Jumde adds. “The expert reviewer is the critics and shoppers. “Users qualitative force that can be a read more than one review and brand-multiplier. So a Chetan make their decisions based on a Bhagat will be more concerned popular. If you rely on them alone body of reviews,” says Amit about what user reviewers are sayyou’ll be stuck in a rut. All progress Agarwal, vice president and country ing, while a Vikram Seth will prois possible because of criticism.” manager of Amazon India. duce his fare regardless. It’s a ‘vol“Features like star rating [illustrate] ume v/s value difference.” WHOM TO HEED overall customer sentiment, but the On burrp! well liked reviews menreview text is what builds confiWHOM TO HEED tion the order, the service, the dence in the product.” It depends if you’re impressed by amount spent and tips Which means again, that SAY WHAT? volume or value. “As early as 1995 like ‘Avoid on Sunday’, or reviews must be well when Jeff Bezos started ‘Ideal for business meals’. written to be of any use. “If you think Amazon.com , [it was a] conscious Top critics include “A user review is usualKeanu Reeves decision to showcase negative thoughtful comments ly a précis and a gush is a good reviews alongside positive reviews,” about the cuisine, the about how fantastic the Agarwal says. “Many were surneighbourhood, the conbook is or a scream about actor, you’d prised by this decision to keep negacept and the chef. “Read a how terrible it is,” points totally love tive comments visible.” Praise is few reviews by any indiout Indrajit Hazra, author this movie” hard to decode, but if a person disvidual and you can guess and books commentator likes a book for reasons you would how close his/her likes at HT. “Rarely does it say A user review for Inception too, they are your kind of reviewer. why they liked or didn’t are to yours,” Das says. SEPTEMBER 8, 2013

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C OV E R STO RY

I’M A CRITIC! Sonali Shah aka sosha_sosha

“I started posting hotel reviews to give back to the TripAdvisor community which had helped me on my trips. I’m a journalist, but my 200-word reviews on the site aren’t different. I just focus on the right details – not which room in a hotel is the best; but if the hotel has wheelchair access. I’M A found a solution. CRITIC! “If just the journey and the Deepa Krishnan, stay are paid for, it still allows a Destination Expert writer the freedom and autonomy to determine what to do and where “Since I am in the travel business, I have to go while visiting,” he explains. up-to-date information about travel to India. I This, then is a travel writer’s answer 2-3 posts a day, it takes 10 advantage – the review is the priminutes. It is rewarding, you get a mary purpose of the trip. “The critic nice warm glow and notes of gets the luxury of time to cover appreciation.” more interesting angles for a readravel is tricky. er,” Ganju concedes. “You’d have to Locations change with the look at four or five user reviews to seasons, the economy and get the same information.” Mehta the socio-political climate. actively seeks out off-the-trail So trusting a single expert opinion bars, makes multiple visits to a or even many user opinions is risky. popular attraction and gets Plus, no single writer, however out of bed before dawn to phoWhen it comes to cosmetics and skincare, glossies and sales people skilled, can address the needs of tograph a sunrise that another pronounce everything wonderful. Reviews are often by someone with a different colouring and budget. That’s why reviews on Makeupalley.com every kind of trip, every size of tour, traveller might never see. “I go aren’t just the better option, often they’re the only option. every interest group, every budget looking for the things you hope to On the site, you can choose to see reviews only from and every seasonal attraction stumble on,” he says. “I look for the those who match your skin tone, age and concerns, and through a single travelogue. But flaws, good stuff, hidden stuff then see only what the haters (or fans) are saying. Most user reviews collected over time end and hidden costs.” women also mention their climate, hours of use, compariup offering the very details that As for user reviews, even son points and application tips and list ‘dupes’ (cheaper or experts miss. “There’s a volume of Ganju advises against trusting easier-to-find substitutes). Plus, it’s fun to read how a fuchsia lipstick helps one girl prepare for “war or physics perspective and you can filter your ones that are too gushy or negclass” and how a refoundation gave needs accordingly,” says Nikhil ative. “Ignore the outliers and another the complexion of a “female Ganju, country manager for focus on the average review,” he Edward Cullen”. Beauty may TripAdvisor India. says. But users remain the best be subjective, but picking Many believe bona fide source for information on scams, the right beauty product is not rocket science travellers to be more reliable child-friendly attracanymore. than a writer on a spontions, rooms, getting SAY WHAT? around, and bargainsored trip. Rishad Saam “I fell asleep Mehta, who has visited 50 ing tips. countries in the last decade, 4 times. What agrees. He says it often WHOM TO HEED hotels, local travel and food. “I use the heck was results in a sugary, oneFor best results, allow the site’s top-10 hotels as a guide the movie dimensional review as the a travelogue to when I travel and they never disaporchestrated tour leaves no seduce you with its point,” Ganju says. They don’t disabout??” room for independent dispoetry and big picappoint Mehta either: “Even I check A user review for covery. But global travel is ture. Then, turn to out reviews before I travel!” 2001: A Space impossible on any travel user reviews for pracrachel.lopez@hindustantimes.com Odyssey writer’s income, so he’s tical information like Follow @GreaterBombay on Twitter

Travel Writers v/s Real Tourists

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FULL COVERAGE

SO YOU WANT TO BE A CRITIC TOO? DON’T BE HASTY First reactions make bad reviews. Live with a product, mull over your meal, think about the movie you watched. Make it thoughtful, eloquent, personal and fun.

DO SAY WHY Good reviewers not only say they liked or disliked something, they offer reasons for their opinion.

DON’T BE VAGUE Include as much detail as you can. Compare books, products, meals, films or experiences.

DO BE YOURSELF If you’re echoing the brochure, you’re of no help. Add personal details but don’t bore them. Keep it within 75 to 500 words.

DO OFFER FULL DISCLOSURE Did you get a freebie or sample? Do you work for the company? Keep it real so people trust you.

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DON’T FAKE IT Websites can track who’s praising their own products. And don’t pretend to be someone else, that’s illegal.

DO BE TASTEFUL If you can’t help resorting to profanity, spite and personal attacks in reviews, perhaps you shouldn’t be offering opinion.

DON’T SPILL THE BEANS Giving away the ending or a crucial plot twist ruins it for everyone. You may also be blacklisted.

DO BE RESPONSIBLE Don’t give away personal info (yours or other people’s) in your text or photos. Crop strangers out.


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T R AV E L

Photos: SHUTTERSTOCK

New York, Times Square is a whirlpool of blinding lights, diverse cultures and unabashed consumerism. But it wasn’t always so by Pranav Dixit “Such an introduction to New York - to land in a pile of dirt in the Times Square subway station. Tsk, tsk, tsk.” – Tucker Mouse to Chester the Cricket in The Cricket in Times Square by George Selden

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T’S EASY to recognise the tourists in Times Square. They’re the people who tuck away their New York City subway maps as they haul themselves out of the 42nd Street subway station onto 8th Avenue, let their jaws drop, and then go batshit crazy with their cameras. New Yorkers are easy to spot too. They’re the ones who charge at the tourists like raging bulls as they rush to their next appointment and cause them to scatter on the sidewalk. The only thing New Yorkers hate more than mistakenly boarding an express train going in the wrong direction is tourists, and Times Square is Tourist Central. Frankly, the name is misleading. Times Square isn’t even a square. The Crossroads of the World, the Great White Way or the Tenderloin as it was called once upon a time (more on that in a minute) is the part of Manhattan that stretches between West 42nd to 47th Streets and is shaped more like a bowtie if you look at it from a helicopter (or Google Maps – probably simpler) because Broadway cuts diagonally across. You only need to remember a few things about it: 1. A third of a million people pass through Times Square on an average day. If you want to stand out, take inspiration from The Naked Cowboy (right).

2. It’s one of the most expensive shopping districts in the world – rents average $1,350 per square foot, according to data from Cushman & Wakefield. 3. Don’t mess with any of the 52 costumed characters. A few months ago, Weed Man (a panhandler holding a giant ‘I Need Money For Weed’ sign) stabbed Beer Man (same, just beer); Cookie Monster shoved a 2year-old; Super Mario groped a woman; and Elmo hurled antiSemitic abuse at everyone. This is a crazy place with crazy crowds, crazy colours and crazy people. My friend, Morgan, who is a server at the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company, a popular seafood chain restaurant bang in the middle of Times Square, can

NUDE NOT PRUDE

The Naked Cowboy can be found on Times Square in a hat, cowboy boots, briefs and a strategically placed guitar

“Hey now ladies, please, I’m not just a piece of meat!” Robert Burck, The Naked Cowboy

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tell endless stories about the loonies who often walk in. “Once this girl ordered a full meal for herself and her boyfriend,” she says. “She ate half of it and just sat there in the chair for a couple of hours. When I asked her if she was done, she said no, her boyfriend was sitting in the chair across.” And there’s never any shortage of homeless people who order beer after beer and then try to run out, she says. Times Square isn’t just another place in New York. It’s a thought, an idea, a force, a goddamn whirlpool of blinding lights and flashing adverts; of diverse cultures and unabashed consumerism; of lofty dreams and unchecked emotions; an electric vortex where the tides of uptown and downtown Manhattan flow along the subway lines and crash into each other. It has served as the site of everything from major protests (against Deep Throat after its 1972 release, and George Zimmerman’s acquittal in the Trayvon Martin murder trial in July) to flashy product launches (Richard Branson famously rode a tank into Times Square for the US launch of Virgin Cola in 1998). It’s the brightly illuminated heart of the Broadway Theater District, home to over 40 theatres that stage some of the world’s legendary musicals – Chicago, The Phantom of the Opera, Kinky Boots and the evergreen Lion King. James Traub, the writer of The Devil’s Playground: A

THE CROSSROADS OF THE WORLD

Times Square isn’t just another place in New York. It’s a thought, an idea, a force Century of Pleasure and Profit in Times Square, calls it “New York’s agora, a place to gather both to await great tidings and to celebrate them, whether a World Series or a presidential election.” It’s easy – even tempting – to think of Times Square as always having been the Disneyfied, powerguzzling hub that it now is. The truth is that its current avatar is a relatively recent creation. In the first half of the 19th century, John Jacob Astor, the first American multi-millionaire and one of the richest people in the world at the time, sold land to hotels and other commercial establishments that were springing up in this area as New York City, which originated at the southern tip of Manhattan and rapidly spread uptown. Astor sank with the Titanic in 1912 but not before making a fortune on this real estate. He was the richest man on the ship. In 1872, the area became the centre of New York’s carriage industry and was called Longacre Square after Long Acre street in London, home to the coach-making industry in that city. Then, in 1904, Adolph S Ochs, publisher of The New York Times, moved the paper’s operations to a skyscraper on 42nd Street at Longacre Square and persuaded the mayor to build a subway station there. Since Longacre Square sta-


MUSICAL SQUARE

The Broadway Theater District is home to over 40 theatres that stage some of the world’s legendary musicals

THE TIMES THEY ARE A-CHANGIN’

Times Square was called Longacre Square (here in 1880), before it was renamed in honour of the The New York Times in 1904

tion was quite a mouthful, the area, in what must be the greatest branding coup in history, was named Times Square after the Grey Lady. More than 3,44,000 passengers pass through the Times Square station today, making it the busiest subway station in New York. Don’t dawdle at the turnstiles – you’ll get dirty looks from impatient New Yorkers. One more tip: if you plan to stray from the tourist track (mostly 7th Avenue), leave the kids behind. While there’s nothing in Times Square itself, the neighborhood is choc-a-bloc with stores selling everything from life-sized blow-up dolls accurate to the last anatomical detail to edible lingerie (there’s a TON of other items in every shape and form that I can’t possibly list

here, though my email address is at the end of the story if you’re dying to know). This is not a coincidence. It’s a fact rooted in history – at the beginning of the 20th century, Times Square was New York’s notorious red-light district, its ‘tenderloin’. Peepshow booths shared walls with theaters showing hardcore pornography, while prostitutes rubbed shoulders with sleazy drug addicts. From the Great Depression in the late 1920s till as recently as the early 1990s, Times Square was one of New York’s seediest neighborhoods. William J Stern, former chairman and chief executive of New York State’s Urban Development Corporation wrote in a 2009 essay that the Times Square of the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s was “sleazy,

crime-ridden and so physically and economically blighted that it represented a threat to public safety.” “The block between 7th and 8th Avenues in Times Square had the most pickpockets in New York City,” remembers Robert Redmond, a former employee of the New York City Parks Department, who has been living in Manhattan for over 32 years. “It was definitely not a safe neighbourhood, despite the crowds.” It wasn’t till Mayor Rudy Giuliani spearheaded a major Times Square clean-up initiative in the early 90s – increasing security, closing adult theaters and pressuring the sex shops to relocate – that Times Square finally became the glitzy, sought-after destination it is today. “Of course, that move sort of backfired, because they moved out of Times Square into the residential neighborhoods,” laughs Redmond. Real estate boomed; businesses poured in; and Broadway thrived and grew by leaps and bounds, netting almost $1.1 billion in revenue in 2012 alone. Even after 32 years in Manhattan, Redmond still gets excited when he walks through Times Square. “The crowds are amazing,” he says. “And all those ads… it looks like Las Vegas in Manhattan!” The real reason behind all that signage is actually quite simple – according to a New York city zoning law, you are required to have a certain area of the façade of any building you own in Times Square covered by hoardings (why there is a law that enforces this is unclear. The advertisement real estate in Times Square is among the most expensive in the world – if you own a building,

you would have to be a lunatic to not put up ads!). In fact, One Times Square, which housed The New York Times for less than ten years before it moved out in 1913, and which carries the world-famous, 5.5 kg, LEDlit crystal ball that is ‘dropped’ in an annual tradition on New Year’s Eve, is THE most expensive place to advertise in the world (current advertisers include Toshiba, Dunkin’ Donuts and Sony). “In Times Square, you never really know what the time is unless you look at your watch,” says Morgan, “because it’s so bright.” During Hurricane Sandy last year, even as downtown Manhattan was plunged into darkness for a week, the lights still burnt brightly in Times Square. Those who saw it describe the experience as “chilling” and “surreal”, akin to being in one of the many post-apocalyptic and sci-fi movies and video games set in it – Times Square, a ghost town with brightly flashing signs and no people at all. Last year, I found myself right at the centre of a sea of a million people in Times Square. We stood in one place for over 12 hours, rank strangers, glad for the warmth of each other’s bodies in the freezing December air, even as our stiff muscles screamed in agony. On the top of the One Times Square building, a digital clock counted down the seconds till 2013. After what seemed like a lifetime, the crystal ball descended down its pole. The sky exploded with a thousand fireworks. We danced, clapped, cheered. Strangers hugged and kissed each other; and time ground to a halt as we laughed and loved at The Crossroads of the World.

Times Square was New York’s notorious red-light district

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Pranav is a magazine writing student at New York University and lives in New York City. Follow @PranavDixit or email pranavdixit@gmail.com


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Photo: GETTY IMAGES

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THREE AT A TIME

From aggressive yet gentle blues to deliciously profane but uplifting songs to sublime avantgarde music, it’s been quite an exciting week

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HE LAST time Download Central turned up in Brunch, I wrote about Walter Trout, the top-notch blues guitarist, who besides having a stellar solo career, has played with blues greats such as John Mayall, Canned Heat and John Lee Hooker. I’d mentioned that Trout has many fans in India, including the (now-incarcerated) Sanjay Dutt, and has even played at gigs here. Then, quite abruptly, Download Central went on a break. At six months, it was a rather long break. But, as you can see, it is back with another bluesman, no less. Actually, it’s two blues people who’re married to each other. Singer Susan Tedeschi and guitarist Derek Trucks’s Tedeschi Trucks Band is all of three years old, although the backstory of each of these two musicians extends much beyond that. Tedeschi

Photo: CC/CEEDUB13

LISTEN ON LOOP

The 11 songs on Tedeschi Trucks Band’s Made Up Mind showcase the couple’s (singer Susan Tedeschi and guitarist Derek Trucks’) virtuosity perfectly

PLEASURE FROM THE PAIN

John Grant’s Pale Green Ghosts is full of bitterness, depression and anger. Yet, it’s an album that is extraordinarily uplifting to listen to

ing out every now and then; plus there is his resplendent baritone. His vocals are of the kind that you can listen to endlessly. All this is layered with delectable electronic music in foot-tapping beats that you’d least expect in an album that deals with things such as a bad break-up and HIV. The electro is courtesy Grant’s collaborator, Birgir Thórarinsson, an electronic musician from Iceland, which is now the former Denverite’s new home. As a bonus, Pale Green Ghosts has at least Sanjoy Narayan four songs that also feature Sinéad O’Connor. I know I just wrote that I wouldn’t expand MF for you (I’m sure you’ve figured out by now what those letters stand for), but before you line up Pale Green Ghosts for an evening of family listening, you should know that John Grant loves to swear a bit. Well, quite a bit, but in such a deliciously nice way. Another thing. If you get hooked by Pale Green Ghosts as I was, you can try his earlier album, Queen of Denmark (2010). And just has had a glorious solo career as not just a blues singer, but a guias Pale Green Ghosts has GMF, there’s one song that can justify tarist as well. And Trucks, well, is a guitar legend. A child prodibuying the entire album. It’s called JC Hates Faggots. gy who first toured with The Allman Brothers Band when he was I had no idea what to expect when I bought Julianna Barwick’s 13, Trucks’ brand of blues blends jazz, soul, rock and even a hint Nepenthe, the second solo album from the one-time Louisiana of qawwali. Tedeschi Trucks Band have a new studio album (their based singer (now she lives in Brooklyn, which appears to be like second) out. It’s called Made Up Mind and the 11 songs on it showa magnet for musicians). I’d learnt that Pitchfork, the picky-choosy case the couple’s virtuosity perfectly: Tedeschi’s sassy howl that Internet music website, had labelled Nepenthe as one of this year’s somehow manages to be both aggressive as well as incredibly genbest music and that Barwick made music that was classified as tle and textured; and Trucks’ brilliant guitar solos, inflected as ambient and avant-garde. One listen to Nepenthe and I knew I they are with his trademark sound – Trucks often plays his guitar hadn’t erred in buying it. Barwick has a grounding in singing a with a slide, a device he opted for when he began playing at nine capella and in her music her voice is the main element – she uses and his fingers were too small for the fretwork he needed to do. loop machines to layer recordings of her own voice and on Nepenthe, All 11 songs are worth putting on repeat but, for me, two of them, her songs, many of which have no real lyrics to speak of, are Do I Look Worried, and Misunderstood, really stand out. accompanied by a string ensemble and a choir of young girls. If I’d buy an album for just one song on it, I’d certainly spring The result is an album that is supremely sublime and calming. for John Grant’s Pale Green Ghosts. Not for its title track but The more I heard Nepenthe, I was reminded for the third song on the album, GMF. I’m of Iceland’s Sigur Rós to whose ethereal sound not going to expand that abbreviation, MUSIC WITHOUT LYRICS Barwick’s music seemed similar. Then, I read beyond the first letter, which stands for Julianna Barwick’s Nepenthe is supremely sublime and calming that on her tour following Greatest. The rest you can figure out or, Nepenthe’s launch, Barwick is better still listen to the album. Grant, who going to join Sigur Rós in concerts was a part of Czars, a former Denver-based this month. It’s such a small world! band, went solo a few years back and Pale I could talk about Kveikur, the Green Ghosts is his second solo album. It’s brilliant new Sigur Rós album, an album about a bitter break-up. It’s also which came out this summer but an album recorded presumably soon after that would hardly be fair in a colGrant publicly announced that he had been umn titled Three At A Time. diagnosed with HIV. It’s an album full of bitterness, depression and anger with many MORE ON THE WEB songs directed quite viciously at the man To give feedback, stream or download the who left him. Yet, it’s an album that is music mentioned in this column, go to extraordinarily uplifting to listen to. A conblogs.hindustantimes.com/ download-central. Write to Sanjoy at tradiction? Perhaps. But Grant’s lyrics have sanjoy.narayan@hindustantimes.com lots and lots of wit and wry humour peek-

download central

Photo: CC/AMY HOPE DERMONT

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HOW TO GET CHINESE VELVET No matter how authentic and fresh your ingredients, you will never get a restaurant quality Chinese stir-fry at home. Because you don’t know the trick that Chinese chefs do – velvetting

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T’S THE easiest thing in the world to cook a simple Chinese stir-fry at home. That is what all the recipe books tell us. You chop the meat and vegetables. You toss them in the wok and then you add the sauce. The actual cooking takes only a few minutes and when it is through, you will get restaurant quality Chinese food. I wish! If only it were that easy! If you’ve cooked Chinese food at home, you will know that no matter how authentic and fresh your ingredients are, you will never ever get food that approaches restaurant quality. Real Chinese food is incredibly difficult to make at home. Which perhaps explains why, in so many take-aways or spiritof-Punjab Chinese places, they don’t even bother with real stir-frying. Instead they batter fry the meat and vegetables and then drown them in thick gravies. When they do attempt to cook vegetables, they sauté them till they are limp and lifeless and have oozed out all their water. Order stir-fried bean sprouts, for instance, at the average Sino-Ludhianvi restaurant and you will be served a dish

Vir Sanghvi

rude food that looks like dead worms floating in lukewarm dishwater. So, what are the secrets of Chinese cooking? Are the recipes in the books made deceptively simple to taunt us round-eyes and to remind us, once we have failed to execute those recipes, that only those born of Chinese mothers can make the real thing? I’ve been talking to chefs, both Chinese and Indian, and my broad conclusions are a) the recipes are not wrong, but they are a little misleading, b) there are things that you and I will never be able to cook in a home kitchen, c) Chinese cooking is about skill not just method and d) there is a trick that the Chinese use which they don’t like talking about. The most important thing to remember about stir-frying is that to get restaurant quality results, you need very, very high temperatures. In a good Chinese kitchen, the hob has a flame that is at least six times as hot as the highest setting in a home kitchen. Unless you can get that level of heat, you will never get the results that professional chefs get in their kitchens. This is a fact of life. So live with it. According to Ananda Solomon, who stir-fries Chinese-influSEPTEMBER 8, 2013

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enced dishes (such as his wonderful chicken with cashewnuts) at the Thai Pavilion restaurants (in Bombay and Gurgaon), the secret of stir-frying is mastering the ability to handle immense quantities of heat. Ananda says that it is only through practice and trial and error that you will learn how many seconds it takes to sear mushrooms in your wok. Only experience can teach you how to ensure that the pieces of garlic you are stir frying touch the side of the wok so that each pod has a crisp crust on the outside but remains soft and squishy inside. As you and I are not going to work with professional levels of flame in our kitchens any time soon and nor are we going to spend our lives mastering wok skills to reach the Solomon league, I asked Ananda if he had any tips for the averagely-skilled home cook. He had a few suggestions. First of all, cut your meat and vegetables into small pieces (bite size). That will help them cook quickly and evenly. (In China, knife-skills – and knives themselves – are nearly as important as wok-skills). Second, given that you can’t get the high heat you need for stir-frying in a home kitchen, try and do the best you can. Put the wok on the flame much before you are ready to cook and let it get as hot as possible. Third, treat your wok with respect. Buy a cast iron wok (not one of those puny stainless steel non-stick things) that is heavy and serious-looking. Season it by heating oil slowly in it several times before you use it. This will add flavour to your food. It will also give it a natural non-stick quality. (The scientific reason is that the oil forms polymers in the wok which prevent the food from sticking). The more you use the wok, the better your food will start tasting. (Ananda gives the example of the pan in which you make an appam. An omelette pan also works on the same principle). How do you know when your equipment is ready for restaurant-quality food? Well, Ananda says you should wait for the rice to dance. If you are making fried rice then you should strive for a situation where, once you put the cooked rice in the pan, the heat is such that the grains of rice start jumping around. This is why restaurant-quality fried rice is dry and flavourful not moist and lumpy like the stuff we make at home. (I’ve tried this test at home and my rice never dances, so no matter what Ananda says this may be tough to do in a home kitchen.) That’s the skill, heat and technique part of restaurant cooking. But there’s also a trick. The first time I went to the mainland a decade ago, I wondered how Chinese chefs got the meat


19 Photo: THINKSTOCK

He lightly dusted the chicken juliennes with cornflour though, he said, potato starch worked as well. Next, he added the white of one egg. (The ratio is one egg white for 250 grams of meat.) He could, he said, add a little rice wine at this stage but chose not to in the Hyatt kitchen. Then he put aside the chicken for a while. (He did not specify a time but most chefs say it should be around 30 minutes – though in professional kitchens, time can be a luxury). Next he put lots of oil (peanut or sunflower are both okay) in a wok and raised the temperature to around 100°C. When the oil was ready, he threw in the chicken juliennes for 30 seconds. (Or less, he said, if the chicken turns white earlier). He quickly took them out and kept them aside. The oil (and there was masses of it) was put away separately. (Oil for velvetting can be reused). When it was time to cook a dish, he made it according to the standard Chinese stir-frying method (but with a much higher flame than the velvetting flame – around 150°C to 200°C). But instead of raw chicken pieces, he used the velvetted chicken. I tried the dish when it was ready. What stood out was the texture of the chicken – moist, tender and, as the name suggests, like velvet. Afterwards I read up on velvetting. Methods vary. Some chefs insist on a little alcohol in the marination. Others keep the meat for longer before putting it into the hot oil. Some don’t use oil at all but poach the chicken in water. Most mainland chefs use the velvetting technique for pretty much anything that has to be stir-fried: fish, pork, beef etc. In many Chinese restaurants, chefs don’t bother with good quality chicken because the trick to the stir-frying lies in the velvetting not in the provenance of the bird. The science is easy enough. The egg white binds the starch (either corn or potato) to the surface of the pieces of meat. So, when it is first put it into hot oil for velvetting, the starch becomes an invisible casing for chicken/meat/beef/fish. Then when it is dropped into the very hot oil for stir-frying, the moisture inside the meat is protected by the invisible casing and does not evaporate. This keeps each piece tender and succulent. The great thing about velvetting is that you can do it at home. It is easy and requires no special skill. So, if you buy a cast-iron wok, get it really, really hot and use velvetted meat, you still won’t get restaurant quality Chinese food. But you’ll come pretty damn close.

How do you know your wok is ready for a restaurantquality stir-fry? Wait for the rice to dance

so tender in their stir-fries. It was more tender than the meat at any Chinese restaurant in India. And though some of it had to do with skill, I was sure there was a secret. I now know what the trick is. It is something that all Chinese chefs should do – in theory, at least – but it is only chefs from the mainland who insist on it. The trick is called velvetting and I got chef Dong Shao Long from the China Kitchen at Hyatt Regency to explain it to me. China Kitchen is Delhi’s best Chinese restaurant and the authenticity of its food is down to six chefs imported from the mainland. Chef Dong is the head chef and like the rest of his brigade, he speaks no English. The service staff communicates with him through an interpreter and when I went to his kitchen, I also had to rely on the interpreter. Chef Dong explained that in all serious kitchens on the mainland, chefs always velvet the meat before they cook it. He demonstrated the process for me. First, he took a cleaver and cut a chicken breast into juliennes. Then he put the juliennes under cold running water for a minute or so. Next he squeezed all the water out of the chicken. It was now ready to be velvetted.

COAT IT JUST RIGHT

Chef Dong (right) cuts the chicken into juliennes, puts them under cold running water and squeezes them dry. Then he lightly dusts the juliennes with cornflour

According to chef Ananda Solomon of the Thai Pavilion restaurants (in Bombay and Gurgaon), the secret of stir-frying is mastering the ability to handle immense quantities of heat

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Chef Dong Shao Long from China Kitchen at Hyatt Regency, Delhi, explained that in all serious kitchens on the mainland, chefs always velvet the meat before they cook it

GET CRACKING

Next, he adds the white of one egg. (The ratio is one egg white for 250 grams of meat.) He could add a little rice wine at this stage if he chooses

MAKE IT A FULL HUNDRED

Next he put lots of oil (either peanut or sunflower) in a wok and raises the temperature to 100°C. And throws in the chicken juliennes for 30 seconds or less

VELVET UNDERGROUND

When it is time to cook a dish, he makes it according to the standard Chinese stirfrying method. But instead of raw chicken pieces, he uses the velvetted chicken

SEPTEMBER 8, 2013

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Photos: SANJEEV VERMA

VELVET IT LIKE A CHEF

CAN YOU BEAT THE HEAT?


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WHAT’S COOKING IN THE

WORLD OF APPLE?

Rumours and predictions that come with every Apple product launch

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N ABOUT 48 hours, Apple will announce what may well be the most important device in its history of incredible releases. This device will not be a technological marvel, it will set new standards in hardware specifications, and it won’t have any major whiz-bang software feature that will have the collective jaws of all of us drop across the world. Yet this is headline news as this new device will have a feature what Apple has never ever played with before – price! CHEAP(ER) iPHONE: That Apple needs to introduce a cheap(er) iPhone is old news. It’s dictated by its falling stock price, forced upon

Rajiv Makhni

techilicious THE PREDICTIONS

them by lower sales numbers and it’s a compulsion drawn upon them by rivals who have forged ahead by hitting them with blows of more options and lower prices. Yet it needs to tread carefully as this one device may well determine its position, profitability and even its existence in many countries. One wrong step here could blow its entire portfolio to little bits as there could be a devastating ripple effect from a wrongly strategised cheaper product. FINE LINE: Just a lower priced iPhone won’t be enough. Apple will have to position this carefully. A cheaper iPhone that is a serious downgrade could damage Apple’s carefully CAREFUL STEPS cultivated aura and premium positioning that it A cheaper iPhone has so meticulously built over the years. It could that is a serious downgrade could also have a devastating effect on the Apple Army damage Apple’s that defends every Apple product with their life. A cheaper iPhone that isn’t really cheap and cultivated aura has just a few cosmetic changes from its flagship could be worse, as it will have no major effect on its sales numbers and people may just prefer to spend a little more on the flagship device. And if they make the cheaper iPhone much cheaper and yet give it the whole Applesque aura and premium feel, it will cannibalise sales off its top of the line iPhone as everyone will buy this instead of that. THE GAME: It’s a fine line that Tim Cook has to tread and 48 hours will reveal all. Cook has also said that he is going to clamp down on keeping things secret as he’s sick of leaks even before he hops on to the stage. All this makes for one of the most exciting little games of strategy, espionage, rumours, stealth and leaks. Thus I’m going to take this game a little further. I’m going to mash up all the top rumours, spy pictures, leaks and present it as a top 11 prediction report card. Against each of them, I’m going to give you a check box.

Read and mark the ones you think I’ve got right or wrong and then revisit this 48 hours later, after all the announcements are done. It’s you versus me. Time to see who scores higher in this ‘I can get into Tim Cook’s mind prediction game’.

1. Apple will release two iPhones. The first will be an upgrade to the iPhone 5 and will be called iPhone 5S and the other, the iPhone 5C. The C in 5C does not stand for cheaper! 2. iPhone 5C will have a plastic or polycarbonate body (cheaper to produce, faster to churn out in production, differentiator between premium and economical) and will come in multiple coloured back covers. 3. iPhone 5C won’t have a retina display (no supply-chain problem, lowers costs, keeps margins high), will have a lower powered processor, will come with a lower resolution camera. Think all the specs of the iPhone 4S minus the retina display. 4. iPhone 5C will mainly be sold unlocked and its real target markets will be outside the CMYK GALORE

The iPhone 5C may have a plastic or polycarbonate body, with different coloured back covers

USA. China and India will be its biggest sale points. It will release in countries outside the USA faster than ever before. 5. Now for the big one. The price! Rumours have it priced at around $399. That would be a disaster. It’s got be around $299 for it to really make a difference and bring in all those who have aspired for an iPhone but never considered it. $299 (dollar rates not going haywire any further) will also bring it into the magical R20,000 and under category, which is a vital and psychological price wall for most Indian consumers. I’m going for $299, unlocked. 6. iPhone 5S. Yes, it’s going to be called the iPhone 5S and not the iPhone 6. 7. Pretty much iPhone 5 in look and feel. Historically, Apple never jumps a generation cosmetically. iPhone 5 and 5S will look the same, the iPhone 6 will look different. 8. The only big deal which really is a small deal is the gold iPhone. And if you’re conjuring up images of a loud, flashy, shiny gold phone, banish those thoughts and visuals. This is Apple - the king of understated. Think more champagne gold, muted and matte.

9. iPhone 5S will come with a serious upgrade on processor horsepower, one new Apple level feature hidden within iOS7, a much improved camera with dual TOUCH OF GOLD? shooting capabilities, Apple may come out with a much longer battery gold iPhone. Nothing flashy, life (please, please do think more champagne that Apple) and more gold, muted and matte on-board storage. 10. The biggest rumour is that the jawdropping killer feature will be a fingerprint sensor built underneath the home button. And while almost everyone agrees that this is true, I’m going to risk life and limb and call a bulls@#t on that one. It may come, but not on the iPhone 5S. Maybe on the iPhone 6! 11. No Apple smart watch and no new iPads will be announced alongside. It’s TWO iPhones! They aren’t going to ruin that incredible headline with even more devices muddying the waters.

That’s 11 predictions. Time to sharpen that pencil and start marking the checkboxes. I wish you and myself the best of luck. The game has begun! Rajiv Makhni is managing editor, Technology, NDTV and the anchor of Gadget Guru, Cell Guru and Newsnet 3

MORE ON THE WEB: For previous columns by Rajiv Makhni, log on to hindustantimes.com/brunch. Follow Rajiv on Twitter at Twitter. com/RajivMakhni

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INTERNET ADDICTION?

Oh yes, that’s a thing now; and what’s more, the Internet will help you beat it!

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O, IT is finally here. The cure to Internet addiction. Okay, maybe I exaggerate. But it may well be around the corner. A hospital in Pennsylvania has become the first to offer an in-patient detox programme for those who are suffering from an addiction to the Internet. Starting this week, the Bradford Regional Medical Center will offer a 10-day programme devised by experts in other forms of addiction. Those who sign up will be given classes in digital detox and will participate in group therapy sessions much like those addicted to alcohol, drugs or even sex, do. Some medical experts, of course, insist that there is no such thing as Internet addiction. Some people are over-dependent on the use of digital technology and social media (same difference, if you ask me) and may need intervention to disengage from the virtual world. But calling this an addiction is over-egging it a bit. Whatever you may call it, however, there is no denying that too many of us have become obsessive about our use of the Internet. We are constantly dipping into social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Pinterest, Instagram to check out what’s happening with the world and to tell the world what’s happening with us. We can’t eat a meal without first taking a pic-

Seema Goswami

spectator CALL FOR HELP!

Some people are over-dependent on the use of digital technology and social media and may need intervention to disengage from the virtual world

ture and sharing it with all our virtual friends. We can’t go on holiday without documenting every single moment on social media. Hell, we even live-tweet miscarriages, births and (more creepily) deaths. And such is our obsessive desire to remain updated and plugged in that we can ever disengage and just enjoy the moment. We take videos of live concerts rather than immerse ourselves in the music. We take pictures of a beautiful sunset instead of letting its beauty wash over us. We spend all our time on our smartphones when we should be engaging with the real-life people around us. In technology-driven societies like Japan, it is estimated that as many as half a million children in the age group of 12 to 18 are addicted to the Internet. So serious is the situation that the ministry of education has started ‘fasting camps’ to help these kids disconnect from their digital devices. These camps are held outdoors where the children (after their touchscreens are wrestled away from them, presumably) are made to interact with one another, play games, participate in team sports, have conversations and group discussions. Or, in other words, experience those childhood joys that we took for granted growing up in a pre-Internet world.

THE DOWNSIDE

There is a dark, malevolent side to the Internet too as those who get addicted to gaming or gambling sites know all too well That’s not to say, though, that only kids who were born into the new technology age have a problem disconnecting from the virtual world. Even ‘grown-ups’, who really should know better, find themselves wasting time in ever more inventive ways on the Internet. The office worker who has Facebook open in a side window as he replies to emails. The journalist who can’t stay off Twitter even if she is on a deadline. The young mother who joins chat groups to escape the isolation of being housebound with a baby and ends up hooked. And these are just the benevolent ways of wasting time on the Internet. There is a dark, malevolent side to the Internet too as those who get addicted to gaming or gambling sites know all too well. And then, there’s the whole murky world of cybersex and on-line porn. But given that this is a family publication, we will draw a discreet veil over that. So, why do we all get so hooked on the digital world even though we know at a rational level that it is doing us no good? And that we really should be getting some work done instead? Well, psychologists say that we get a high from the anonymity that the Internet grants us, allowing us to be whatever and whoever we want. And that we get a sense of validation when we engage with people in the virtual world; especially if we feel isolated in the real world. Which is, perhaps, why people who work from home are more susceptible to digital addiction. There you are, sitting alone at your desk, staring at a computer when a ping tells you that you have received a tweet, email or even a Facebook update. The temptation to click on the link is too hard to resist. You decide to take a little peek. And before you know it, you’ve wasted an hour and a half of your life that you are never getting back. I felt a little better about my own digital addiction when I read that Monica Ali, of Brick Lane fame, had written about her gratitude to SelfControl and Freedom in the foreword to her new book. Yes, I use upper case advisedly. These are the names of the apps that you can download to treat your Internet addiction. SelfControl and Freedom allow you to set up a period of time – say three hours – when your browser will behave as if you are offline, allowing you to concentrate on your work without any distractions. If that’s too hardcore for you, there are apps like Anti-Social (a kind of Freedom-lite) that allows you to block off those social media sites on which you waste most time. Yes, I know, using Internet apps to treat Internet addiction; the irony doesn’t escape me either. There has to be an easier way, right? There is actually. It’s called self-control, with a small s and c this time. We really should give it a try.

We get a high from the anonymity that the Internet grants us

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SEPTEMBER 8, 2013

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WELLNESS

MIND BODY SOUL SHIKHA SHARMA

For any worries related to unplanned pregnancy: Write to us at consumercare@piramal.com or call us at 1800-22-0502 (toll free) or sms ICAN to 56070 Website: www.i-canhelp.in Q1.Dear Doctor, I have consumed over 10 emergency contraceptive pills in the last two years. Is it harmful for me? Should I be worried about my future pregnancy? A. Since you have taken 10 Emergency Contraceptive Pills over a period of close to 24 months, I am assuming that the consumption was more or less evenly spread across this period. In which case, you must have consumed 1 pill over around 23 cycles. Consuming an Emergency Contraceptive Pill in case of contraception failure to help prevent an unplanned pregnancy is right, but do note that Emergency Contraceptive Pills should be used only in emergency. Though emergency contraceptive pills are not known to affect future pregnancies or ability to conceive, frequent consumption (more than 1 in one cycle) of these pills is not advisable. Taking Emergency Contraceptive Pills frequently may cause side-effects such as nausea, headache, disturbed menstrual cycle, abdominal pain to be more severe and hence should be avoided. Consumption of Emergency Contraceptive Pills should be restricted to emergency situations only. If you are sexually active, then would suggest you opt for a regular method of contraception like condoms or birth control pills after consulting a gynaecologist, who can advise the best option that would suit you. Q2. Dear Doctor, I have heard that one can be pregnant and still have periods, is it true? I had sex with my boyfriend two months back and I am getting my periods regularly. Is there any chance that I could be pregnant? There are extremely rare cases, in

USE HERBS, BEAT STRESS

which the woman has conceived inspite of continuing to have periods. Importantly, bleeding that occurs in such cases is qualitatively different from the regular menstrual bleeding. The bleeding that occurs at this time can be aptly described as spotting as the blood flow is very light or scanty. This type of light bleeding experienced at this stage, is known as implantation bleeding as it occurs when the foetus attaches itself to the uterus. In some other cases, the pregnancy hormones keep on fluctuating after conception has occurred, leading to both pregnancy symptoms and sudden bleeding in the form of spots. If you are having regular periods with 4-5 days of moderate-heavy blood flow with a regular cycle length as you normally have, then do not worry, you are not pregnant.

Tips to calm the nerves and combat urban stress

I

N MODERN times, many people are discovering that constant anxiety is eroding their quality of life. One of the reasons tension had become people’s constant companion is the number of hours they devote to mental work over physical work. People in cities, especially in senior positions, spend their days planning and exerting themselves mentally. Very little is required of them at the physical level. Owing to this imbalance, the mind and nerves take an additional burden. Over a period of time, this takes its toll.

ic anxiety, depression, insomnia, migraine and headaches. It is used in the ayurvedic treatment of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s too.

ANCIENT WISDOM

Brahmi is, perhaps, the most important nervine herb in ayurvedic medicine. It revitalises the brain, removes toxins and blockages in the nervCALM DOWN NOW ous system and has a Mental exhaustion can nurturing effect on the manifest itself in mind. It improves chronic fatigue, memory and headaches, mild concentration. depression, dipping In ayurveda, a enthusiasm, boredom, TOUGH NUTS very important proceovereating, bloating and Walnuts deliver dure to treat stress is changes in sleep patVitamin B12 which can through oil massages of terns. A few tips can help combat stress the head and body, and help calm the nerves and oil insufflations through the nasal combat stress. passage. ■ A daily intake of vitamin B12 and Vacha oil benefits the brain and associated B vitamins goes a long the nervous system by aggravating way in replenishing the system. pitta and improve vata and kapha Choose foods rich in essential oils doshas. It boosts memory and treats such as oilseeds (walnuts, peanuts, depression and anxiety. sunflower seeds, flaxseeds, Emotions are said to have an efalmonds, white butter of cow’s milk fect on the body. Vata-related emoand sesame seeds). Oats with cow’s tions such as anxiety and worry milk are also beneficial. tend to affect the intestine. Fear ■ Several herbs act as nervine adapaffects the kidneys, and anger togens and help the nerves. These and irritability affect the include Ashwagandha, eleuthero liver. Deep-seated grief and tulsi. Tulsi particularly and sadness affect reduces stress hormones the heart and lungs. such as cortisol. Nutrition, herbs, Among the herbs that relax oil massages, nasal oil inthe nervous system are jassufflations, exercise and mine and chamomile tea, pasmeditation can go a sionflower and blue verIN FULL BLOOM vain. Jatamansi, which has Jasmine tea helps relax long way in alleviating urban stress. sedative properties, is very the nervous system, ask@drshikha.com effective in treating chron- and it tastes wonderful

Q3. I had sex with my boyfriend in May and had taken an emergency contraceptive pill within 3 hours. Although I am getting my periods each month, they have become irregular and the blood flow is less as compared to my earlier periods. I am really tensed about this. Does this mean I am pregnant? Do not worry about getting pregnant since you took the pill well in time and are already getting your periods, which itself is an indication of the fact that you are not pregnant. It is normal if you are experiencing a difference in your periods after taking an emergency contraceptive pill. Emergency contraceptive pills sometimes bring about certain changes in your menstrual cycle pattern like early or delayed onset which are temporary and should normalize by the next cycle.

Queries answered by Dr Nirmala Rao MBBS, MD, DPM; a well known psychiatrist who heads Mumbai based Aavishkar - a multifaceted team of expert doctors and health professionals. Aavishkar has a comprehensive approach to mental and physical health, with an emphasis scan this QR code to visit website on counselling and psychotherapy.

Photos: THINKSTOCK

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For more columns by Dr Shikha Sharma and other wellness stories, log on to hindustantimes.com/brunch

SEPTEMBER 8, 2013

Supported by:

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PERSONAL AGENDA

twitter.com/HTBrunch

Actress

Malaika Arora Khan

BIRTHDAY October 23

SUN SIGN

I’m born on the cusp of Libra and Scorpio

HIGH POINT OF YOUR LIFE

Becoming an anchor for MTV, my first feature film, and being named the sexiest mom by Maxim magazine

PLACE OF HOMETOWN SCHOOL/COLLEGE BIRTH Mumbai Swami Vivekanand International Mumbai

School and Jai Hind College, Mumbai

LOW POINT OF FIRST BREAK CURRENTLY I AM... When I was featured on the Recently featured in YOUR LIFE

I take them all in my stride

cover of Society magazine in 1993

UTV’s Star in the City

Your all-time favourite Hindi movie. Jackson. These days I also like WHO IS THE Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak Badtameez Dil from Yeh SEXIEST ACTOR (1998). Jawaani Hai Deewani. One song of Helen’s you wish you had IN BOLLYWOOD? What do you think of the Yummy danced to. Mummy tag? Yeh mera dil, pyaar ka deewana It has a nice ring to it. from Don (1978). The sweetest thing your son has The toughest dance routine you’ve done for you. ever performed. He once cooked an entire Although Chaiyya Chaiyya was meal for me. very challenging, it was Munni The most romantic pair in Bollywood. badnaam hui from Dabangg, as Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol, I was dancing for my own film obviously. (I was the co-producer). The best male dancers in Bollywood. The toughest taskmaster you’ve Hrithik Roshan and Ranbir worked with. Kapoor. Saroj Khan and Farah Khan. One dance form you want to learn. If you could remake Gur Naal Ishq I really want to learn hip-hop. Mitha, who would you cast to replace Your fitness mantra. you in the video? I maintain a healthy lifestyle and practice I think Priyanka Chopra would yoga regularly. be a smart choice. Your dream destination. Why do you hate Capri pants? Greece. Well, they don’t do What would we find on your bedside table? anything for your A notepad, a book and my homeopathic figure. You end up medicine. looking short and One song that describes your current state of stout. mind. A song you can Easy Like Sunday Morning by Lionel dance to in your Richie. sleep. Your strategy in a crisis. I’ve always Bring it on! been crazy The last line of your autobiography would read… about Thriller “She lived life queen size!” by Michael

Hrithik Roshan

— Interviewed by Veenu Singh

my movies THE FILM YOU HAVE SEEN MORE THAN FIVE TIMES.

Pretty Woman (1990)

THE MOST OVERRATED FILM.

Barfi! (2012)

THE MOST PAISA-VASOOL FILM.

Dabangg (2010)

A MOVIE WITH FOND MEMORIES.

The Sound of Music (1965) Photo: JASJEET PLAHA

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