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Just finished celebrating Onam and the lingering aroma and taste of the feast remain in our feelings.

After a beautiful growing up period in Kerala, I carried and (.....) continue reading on https://www.dassreedharan.com/post/what-remains-of-a-unique-onam-at-rasa-this-year

Hello again

Am sure you watch delivery boys who drop your takeaway dinner on your doorstep and vanish in seconds, can you imagine confronting many of them in one go, we deal with them every day in their dancing moods and they are not very easy people!

“Where’s my order, i have been waiting for long time??”, that was imran, a very unpleasant voice with a tough expression. i gently felt woken up from my excitement being back at work and seeing our takeaway business flourishing after the lockdown

Looking over Imran’s shoulder, i saw many such delivery marshals trying to reach out thru our shop window.

That was a typical evening when we were late on parcel pickups and were surrounded by this army, nagging around us and their angry, disappointing faces are stuck on our mind each night.

On a good day, these drivers are real fun to watch and interact with, we were keen to make friendship and get them closer to our business. We invited them inside the restaurant rather than wandering around the street. They are from different countries, looked smart in their black uniforms with mask and helmet on, some even spoke no English and we communicated with sign language. so, we started talking without seeing their faces properly

The situation has changed slowly as we started sharing stories; we offered occasional drinks and snacks. They got closer and explained the reason why they are rushing around in a careless fashion. “our company’s only interested in making money for themselves nobody cares, so we do this job only to make money and make use of peak dining hours “

On a Friday or Saturday night they fill our quiet street, squeeze thru silent darkness in extreme pace like on a roller coaster, we worry for them, as they have become part of our business

As the wise man said once,” don’t underestimate people just on a day’s anger and gestures, they may have a story to surprise you”

People like alom approach us with a bright smile these days and happily wait for food, sometimes even offer free delivery, if our customers are interested

We had only a handful of unpleasant situations during these long 9 months but we discovered so many delightful drivers in the recent past, they make our business a worthwhile experience with their care and friendship with us

I still love watching the delivery lads who dominated our streets in this difficult season.

hello welcome back

In this troublesome season, many people have left us from this world and intensified our pain as we try hard to be positive

beyond doubt maradona’s name come on top of the list, so many people expressed their sadness at the loss of the football icon who remained in news for the right or wrong reasons

the credit for the most infamous goal and greatest goal of the cetuary happened in 1986 mexico world cup, both in the name of our hero maradona for argentina

People like me, hardly followed football until that maradona world cup, like millions of people, i was infront of the tv for every match, just to watch this magician at work, it was so beautiful to see him rolling around the ball, surviving attacks from opposite team, holding on to pain and still passionately wake up to continue his imaginative run towards the goal post

with the ball in his control, it felt like he shortened to the size of the ball or at times the ball magnified to his size! they looked alike and inseperable

outside the game, diego filled the headlines with many negative habits and some unfortunate health issues

knowing the marvelous talent on the field, maradona reminds me of some invaluable ingredients in food.though many of them taste unpleasant before cooking, they become super special flavours in the making of taste with much health benifits and we remembre them just for that contribution within the dish

years ago, i had the previlage of having an interaction with terry venables who was former player and manager of english football team in a flight from qatar to london

the conversation lasted for few hours and we shared the similarity of football and food philosophy, to me chefs and football managers often look angry and full of fire at work

listening to my observation, he said “its not what you think, football is our religion and its full wonders, there’s no world with out this game, and its very spiritual just like you talk about food.

on the football pitch diego maradona has become like a god to millions of people, nothing outside the game or flaws in his personal life would change it

his mesmerising movements and immaculate flair made him the most respected player in history.

his story’s worth listening and attitude was adventorous but lets remembre what he did for the game. he was the greatest with out any doubt

a big salute to our hero, diego maradona lives in our heart

We are in the middle of another lockdown in London and I want to update you all dear friends and listeners.. 

www.DasSreedharan.com

Today’s world ayurveda day! I had a fascinating conversation with my friend dr. Sanand regarding the current situation and what he thinks about ayurveda’s take on this, especially around food it was a very fruitful and affirmative chat; I was totally energised with his insights and recommendations on our lifestyle to contain this pandemic.

Ayurveda has over 5000 years of history and continuously talked about the significance of good food habits and how impartial flavours can enrich divine taste with all the nutrition we need on a day to day basis.

Ayurveda reiterated food is the best medicine and Indian food ideal to boost immunity as we go throught this times fighting viruses.

Freshly cooked food from seasonal ingredients eaten in light meals, combines ideal diet for a healthy lifestyle.

As you must already know, Rasa means taste, in ayurveda rasa stands for the essence of life.

The combination of six tastes ideally should converge in your daily meals to make food balanced as you enjoy a perfect rasa meal.

The six tastes are, sweet, salty, astringent, bitter, pungent and sour; these flavours should be part of your daily meals in moderation to identify the presence of all.

When you make your meals the followimg ingredients and herbs can help your taste and health exponentially. 

Garlic, turmeric, coriander, fenugreek, rock salt, black pepper, cumin, carrom seeds, kalonji or black seeds and jaggery.

As a strong ayurveda believer and practitioner, I wish more people understood its power and harmless application of its convictions for the betterment of people’s well-being.

Happy ayurveda day for a healthy and harmonious world.

It has been a pleasure to share my opinion on Covid and its impact on restaurants and human emotions.. Happy listening 

DasSreedharan.com

I was on Instagram live with Nina Sarkar the other day; we were talking about ‘finding happiness’

Happiness has been my favourite subject to discuss for some time now. I was lucky to find my way of cheering myself and letting life move on freely

Anyway, this subject’s the most sought-after emotion in life today , even though happiness is available all the time around us provided we do not put any limitation to it.

Life Is beautiful, if you can find completeness in every situation, you will see converging happiness from everything around you, as the horizon expand, beauty and serenity will appear right in front of you

It is important to understand what’s happiness, happiness becomes crystal clear when we are comfortable unconditionally with everything that happens around us

Stop complaining about everything, it could be one important tool towards happiness

It is not being colourful and winning alone could be happiness, lets wake up to absorb happiness from around the world, literally everything

I was happy when I had nothing, and I was poor. Am still the same when I can eat more than one meal a day, that power tot to change my attitude brings everlasting happiness in my life

Knowing that you are special in this world should make you happy, let us look straight at the issues of life and be strong as we combat them one by one

There is a secret I apply, say to myself ‘AM FEARLESS AND I WANT TO BE HAPPY’,

Fearless attitude liberates me and choice to be happy brings all the joy from around me and it keeps me safe, I hope it will work for you too in case you get stuck

As we come out of this lock down soon let us have a new approach to life and spread energy of happiness thru our smiles to one another and more care for this world we live in.

It’s not a Holy episode, don’t mistake me. But ‘oh God’ is an expression I hear a lot these days.

My relationship with God goes back too long, it must have been days when I was 4 or 5 years old. Holding my mother’s fingers, I travelled to local temple with my parents everyday very early in the morning

At the temple. I was very captivated with people inside the shrine including my parents, who transformed as different and they seemed pure people unlike I saw them outside, they communicated intensely with God, some silently but others loudly, I worried for God’s peace those days

Poor me, I couldn’t be any unusual like them, whether at temple, home or in school, so I quietly turned back and studied their expressions, sometimes I followed them to see the evaporating reverence as they approached external world

I had another, a very harmless intent in this early morning pilgrimage, I loved early morning breakfast of pancakes with coconut scented chutney at our teashop at the village centre, I felt the flavours communicated with me in those still, misty, fresh air

My affinity with God continued in dreams where I spent hours interacting to their heroic existence in our land, to be fair, majority of my dreams related to angry demons who scared me down into sweating darkness in late hours

Nevertheless, I woke up most mornings with a beam as some Gods had seemingly terrific smile in the dream, that also to the surprise of many around me, I felt I had a fair idea about our chemistry, I mean between God and me.

Over the years I collected many great qualities of all Gods that was floating around, although it was hard to overcome or filter down those virtues from  bombarded negativity surrounded those periods, sometimes horrific wars and killings and in some ways  worse than our present time.

I figured out, all nice expressions were his hallmarks, love, mercy, compassion, empathy and anything else you can add on, it was all like inseparable parts of his brilliant persona

In years I learned we could feel all those flashing in our lives, mostly, without us being conscious or confident about that occurrence , so most of those divine values go under-nourished in our lives and we seek those blessings and God desperately outside

I asked a question myself, why can’t we help God by being available in spreading those lovely qualities to fellow creatures, so that God gets a break or lessen his burdens

No matter what happens, we manage some food, fun and a sleep, I was worried whether God gets that fortune of a relaxed meal or peaceful nap, even when you consider his ultimate power and authority

Unlike you, I may want to meet God on two counts, firstly to appreciate his imagination and brilliance. Secondly just to share my concerns about his wellbeing and request to share the ways He overcome all pressure from us, all hopefully on a day when I bump into God on Baker street or anywhere at his convenience.

Oh God – I salute you everyday as I see wonders in my life, you are magnificent however invisible.

I recently saw an amazing documentary; Jeremiah tower’s story would easily motivate anyone, not just people in the field of cooking.

We have heard of incredible geniuses in the field of food, people with burning desire and passion who changed the way we think and eat food , they opened a new horizon for eating out trends and made it the most fashionable business in the world

Jeremiah tower, like so many of my heroes in food industry disappeared at the top of his game and shocked many people in this business

His story goes like this,

In 1972 a Harvard graduate in architecture, without having any formal training in cooking job entered the most happening restaurant in Berkley in California called Che Panisse, belonged to the angel of American food, Alice Waters

As a child he grew up in America, England and Australia, lived in royal style as his rich parents travelled all around the world and mostly abandoned little Jeremiah in 5 star hotels, his favourite hotel being the Hyde park in London

He started loving the company of restaurants and food, he said I  started reading menus before reading anything else.

After his education, he thought he would pursue his dream in under water construction; he failed badly, though he had worked hard on this project

After his grandfather’s death, he struggled for money as he set out on a trip around America, he was dragged into the use of alcohol and a bit of drugs

At the age of 30, completely broke, he had to find a job as he reached California. From a friend, he heard about a job on offer at a restaurant called Che Pannise

Other than cooking for friends in the university, it was his first entry into a commercial kitchen and kitchen crew including the boss Alice waters shocked at his looks and charisma, both men and women fancied his close friendship

On cooking, going along che pannise mission to combine French influenced food using local ingredients , Jeremiah wanted to recreate everything he tasted in grant hotels where he stayed as a child, he dreamed every dish and applied his imagination and made it his way, he called his style elegantly simple food

Once in control of the kitchen, he transcended the cooking to a new dimension that was the birth of Californian flavours and the huge success of the restaurant

Jeremiah went on to open his own restaurant ‘stars’ in san Francisco which became the most famous restaurant, real heroes from music and film world became the customers, and apparently, he became the first celebrity chef in us

After the huge success, he took off to start many other ‘stars’, then he just left everything and disappered.in 2014 he emerged briefly in New York to work in another restaurant as the head chef and soon said goodbye again.

Jeremiah tower’s considered as the most romantic and ultimate chef and host, of American restaurants who tried to bridge the gap between traditions and modern trends.

Answering to people on his mysterious life and unsaid privacy of his personal life, pain and frustration, he simply said, ‘on a bad day, i had a glass of Champaign on my hand, and am alone yes but not lonely.’

All great artistes were alone, great thinkers were alone; no wonder Jeremiah chose that path too. He found it too difficult to be normal and pure; he threw away everything without any regrets.

Life of Jeremiah tower really inspired me!

Thank you. DasSreedharan.com

Unearthing Contentment About Your Life 

Happy Easter my friends, hope you are enjoying this auspicious day

Let’s continue on this journey to reach eternal joy thru self-discovery, and let’s travel back a bit to prepare ourselves

I realise, to pick up your best qualities; you have to be contented about your life and surroundings, a mind with peace and gratitude

To be precise you must know the completeness of your life, work, family, friends and all material things, and absolutely satisfied with them

Everything in our life happens for a good reason and mostly without our effort or concerns, then again don’t rule out occasional distress

Thinking positive, how do you know the value of good times until you pass thru a phase of inconvenience or sadness, so that is bearable for the sake of all blessings

Look at all of us now, we have been asked to stay within our own small spaces without any questions, equally searching for a miracle to set out for new journeys

But the fact is we have this life now whether we like it or not, it’s a good opportunity to realise the root to contentment

Realisation of small things that complete your life, simple needs and effortless time management as you get used to the routines

So, mind’s what we are aiming to bring closer to our being, so far it has been in the midst of ideas beyond your space and realistic needs

We should learn to agree with what we have and see them as the best you could ideally have, i promise, your mind rest happily with in your existence

At this point you are almost ready to see the wonders of your nature, you will see beauty in everthing and reflection of self in whole

Your character, power of your thoughts and words, your beauty and magnetism will all emerge in absolute clarity

Now you can start picking the best of you, you will easily identify the route in the direction of destiny

Come on now, you will start the first few steps, then you will see the path opening in front of you, most importantly, the journey will begin to spread joyful vibes to all around you

Happy Easter again! Dassreedharan.com