The Pizzazzy

Recently I saw the movie the Devil Wears Prada, it’s based on the novel of the same name by Lauren Weisberger. The novel is believed to be based on the Vogue Editor, Anna Wintour. Since I had already read and enjoyed the book immensely, the movie fell short of my expectations.

The movie is a toned down version of the book. The basic plot of a difficult boss and an aspiring subordinate is maintained but the events and some of the characters revolving around the central characters are changed. The character of Miranda Priestly, the mean boss played by Meryl Streep has been given a slightly sympathetic touch in the movie. One of the shots of the film shows her without any makeup in an emotional moment with her guards down where she opens up to the character of Andrea Sachs played by Anne Hathaway about her divorce and it’s effect on the kids. The book portrays her as the meanest person and one who has never acknowledged her subordinates existence and only hints at her divorce without any emotional touch to the character.

Unlike the novel the movie shows that Emily who is superior to Andrea and supposed to travel to Paris with Miranda actually meets with an accident before she could be told that Miranda has decided Andrea to accompany her to Paris. The movie has changed the climax which involves a plan to replace Miranda with someone else which is countered by Miranda successfully. Also the character of Nate who is a Chef is actually Alex, a professor in the novel.

I can understand that it is difficult to exactly base the storyline on the novel while making a movie, but unlike many of the earlier film makers who have either eliminated some part or adapted the storyline in a different manner this one brings in a lot of changes. While reading the novel you start relating with the character of Andrea and the well paced narration portrays how Andreas demanding and difficult boss and her unheard expectations are drawing Andrea away from her boyfriend, best friend and her personal life. The movie has not done enough justice to events leading to the break up between Andrea and her boyfriend.

Andrea’s character is changed to make her more appealing to the viewers. The original act of selling of all her designer clothes to a second hand shop is replaced by Andrea giving all her clothes from Paris trip to Emily. What I missed most was the public showdown between Miranda and Andrea. In the movie she simply throws off her cell and leaves Paris and Miranda behind. It would have been a treat and a powerful climax to see Meryl Streep taking a run down.

The movie’s strongest point is that it was beautifully paced and comic enough without losing the main storyline and the final scene which hinted at the mutual admiration of the two main characters. Overall I enjoyed watching the movie and it actually reminded me of my once upon a time difficult boss.

Once while sharing our common interests in cooking, a friend told me how her grandmother always told her that it is very essential to balance the five elements of taste. A good dish is determined by this balanced taste. The five elements of taste as she listed are: Sweet, Salty, Bitter, Sour, Hot (Spicy). From then on I am intrigued by these elements of taste and have always paid close attention to how these enhance the taste of food.

She also added that the presence of all this in any dish is necessary to make it rich in the taste and flavour. In addition to appealing to the tongue it also appeals to the eyes. But I doubted how one can add all these elements in any single dish. I have observed since then that in our authentic Indian cuisine we do add some of these elements regularly and the trick is in the quantity.

You must have added a pinch of salt in a sweet dish like kheer, may be someone must have mentioned that this is to enhance the sweetness. The kheer can be made sweet by adding only sugar and more sugar, but it’s the dash of salt that enhances the sweetness of the sugar in the kheer. In the same manner we add a dash of sugar while making Poha to enrich the taste of the Poha.

In Maharashtrian Fish curry we add Tamarind paste, grated coconut paste, chillies, salt etc. I am not so sure which is bitter element in it. But one cannot miss the presence of the four elements. The tamarind paste adds sourness, grated coconut paste adds sweetish milky taste, chillies and other spices add the hot element and the salt of course adds the salty element. In the Japanese version of the five elements of taste the hot and spicy is replaced by umami: meaning savoury or meaty. Since we are talking of fish curry, the element umami is also present in the form of fish.

The same fish curry prepared in any other region in India may replace the coconut and tamarind paste with say tomatoes and we all know that tomatoes add a sweet-sour taste to the food. Onions are another source of sweetness for food. Indian food is hot and rich in spices, more aligned to the fifth element. Spices are the core of Indian cooking. Ayurveda describes that taste sets our vital fluid in motion, by affecting Agni which enhances the power of digestion. The right spices add to the richness of taste and stimulate the Agni.

The food should also appeal to our senses of smell, touch, taste and sight which can be achieved by the right combination of material, colour, taste and flavour. Talking of taste a very interesting thing is that Water in itself is quite bland, all the five elements of taste are latent in it. Remember ever tasting the rain water or hail. It is only after this water passes though the other elements of life Earth, Fire, Air and Wood collecting their essence that it becomes so tasty.
It is said that each element of taste is a rich combination of multiple elements of life. And among all these five elements of life, Water is the one related to Taste. It’s only when the tongue is wet we recognize taste. Do you now understand why our mouth starts watering on the mention of our favourite food? It’s the anticipation of the taste to which our tongue automatically reacts.

I am sure now that next time you eat any food you will experience these elements. And your next cooking venture would balance all of them for that mouth watering dish.

Thai food, rich with spices and herbs and the closest any cuisine can get to Indian. I am relatively adventurous when it comes to food. I have tried Squids, Octopus, Sushi, Sashimi, Mussels, and Clams also. Yes, some of my friends have labeled me so. As I mentioned that Thai food is next to Indian for me, I decided to take this journey into culinary Thai.

Thai food is rich in coconut milk and peanut just like most of our Indian cuisine like Maharashtrian specifically Konkan region or South Indian. In Thai food the various chicken curries which are simply named after there colors are really mouth watering, Yellow Chicken Curry, Green Chicken Curry and Red Chicken Curry. If one gets into the detail of the recipes it is simply addition of green coriander or red onions or the white ones that changes the look and the taste of these aromatic colorful curries. Coconut milk forms the base of most of the curries in Thai food. The oriental aroma is the result of the Lemon Grass and Kafir Lime leaves. Thai cuisine also contains many delightful soups and starters but unlike our western eating style, the soups and starters are eaten along with main course as supplementary dishes rather than appetizers. So, if in a Thai restaurant your Soups and Starters follows the main course or is served along, don’t be surprised.

Thai food also has traces of Chinese cooking and consists of some half cooked half boiled bland or very sour taste. Steamed rice is complementary with most of the curries but it is advised that you check and order accordingly. The Thai food is generally for single person, so before ordering one should confirm the servings.

Personally, I am impressed with Thai cos the ingredients used in Thai food especially the herbs and spices are very close to my native land, Manipur. I will not say that Thai food tastes similar to Manipuri food but one can find the subtle taste of chives, basil leaves, fermented soya-beans.. I doubt whether any other cuisine within India can come closer to Manipuri food. So, in the posts following this lets savor Thai!