Flora and Fauna of Bangalore

Bangalore has 12 months of blooming season. It seems there are new flowers blooming each and everyday. I can't take my eyes off of their colors, the variety and the curious look of them. I haven't come across such an extraordinary array of flowers in a single city, continuous through the year.

In the thick of Bangalore: Home is Bangalore

It's been four months since we packed up from Los Angeles and made our way to Bangalore. How our life has changed is indescribable. Before moving to Bangalore, our Indian friends noted that we will need the following to stay in Bangalore - a maid and a driver, and perhaps a nanny and a cook too. As foreigners we were advised to live in a area called Whitefield in a gated community. My immediate reply was "No way"! Not us, we are not your typical expats. 

Whatever I resisted and rebelled, I have fully submitted to the workings of life here. We hired a maid and a driver, we live in a gated community in Whitefield. We have become the picture perfect Bangalore expats. I can't help to paraphrase, 'when in India, do as Indians do' and we sure have.

The reality is... living in India is a whole another beast! For one thing, the pollution in Bangalore is horrendous - the car/bus/auto-rickshaw fumes, people spitting out of car windows and men standing on sidewalks urinating, not to mention the constant honking and filthy water and sludge from leaking sewers…you get the picture. And in fact, nothing is open before 10am, most after 10, so even if I want to zip around to get some groceries, shops don't open before 10. By that time traffic is in full force. A 10min trip can turn into 45min+ idling on the road. Did I mention Bangalore roads and drivers? I'll save that for another post. All said and done, we have made a life in Bangalore.

Whitefield is an area in the eastern part of Bangalore where most of the global technology companies are located. The place is filled with tech parks left and right. Hence the area is filled with expats from the US, Europe as well as NRIs (Non-Resident Indians, or at least Indians who used to be NRIs and are now RIs). There are many services that cater specifically to the people who live here. I have found a great fish monger, a organic green grocer and a deli with imported cheese and cured meats. I especially love the Korean restaurant, Arirang in Kammanhalli that has great food in a home country setting. This restaurant also has imported goods from Korea, and best of all, they make and deliver fresh tofu and kimchee and many other Korean food items to my house once a week! Having such familiarities has been a pleasant surprise.

I joined Oversea's Women's Club, http://www.owcbangalore.org/.  There are 800+ members, a great network of expats who are based in Bangalore, some permanent and some temporary. The helping hands, feet and ears of this 800 strong  group has helped me tremendously to get my life started here and embraced me as a part of their family and friends.  This group has been around for 15+ years and is running at full speed with numerous charity groups, playgroups for children, mothers-to-be group, cooking classes, travel programs, yoga group, book club, many cultural events, and so many options to fit anyone's bill. Having such a support system is great!

With all the exciting discoveries, at times...India is hard to face. It is too real and at the same time, it is unreal. It's in your face, it's loud, it's smelly, it's colorful, it's mind-numbing, it's incomprehensible, it's salty, it's oily, it's wet, it's sticky, it's slow, it's complicated, it's chaotic, it's exhausting, it's dusty, it's congested, it's unpredictable, it's wild, it's unapologetic, it's unruly, it's uncompromising, it's dangerous, it's abrupt and it's more than I can describe!

For now, Bangalore is home. A bittersweet home.

In the thick of Bangalore: Streets of Bangalore

I tripped on this slab of concrete protruding on to the sidewalk.

On a small street in Indra Nagar, a concrete block is dug up from a huge pot hole to separate lanes.

An open waste water drain next to the side walk. People prefer walking on the street to walking on the sidewalks here.

A pile of trash thrown on the side of a building, not a uncommon scene.

An open and unused power box on the street. I'm not sure if any of the lines that are coming out from the ground are live or not...

Stray dogs are also a common scene in the streets of Bangalore. I remember the first time I visited India 10 years ago, there were packs of them roaming the streets. I did notice that there are less of them now, but I recently read that a stray dog killed a toddler playing outside.

Another pile here, this one looks like it's been here awhile and is taking over the street and the sidewalk.

This is where Vitta Mallya Road, Lavelle Road and Walton Road intersect.   We are staying a short distance away on Walton Road. One of the busier areas in Bangalore, with no traffic light at the intersection. I've seen two car accidents, in front of my eyes, in the past month.

Leela's Eats - Vegetable Patties

Cooking for Leela, a one and half year old, in Bangalore has been a challenge. I'm on the lookout for organic and naturally grown ingredients, which are not as readily available as in the USA or UK. I have found a few organic grocers in Bangalore, but they are not exclusively organic, or the produce is not marked and mixed with non-organic goods. You have to be diligent about asking the shop clerk. Nonetheless, it is not difficult to find locally-grown and fresh produce. I'm sure in time, I will come across more options. For now, I will have to make do with what I come across and cook for my hungry princess.

Vegetable patties are great food for kids. It's not only easy to make, it's nutritious and a variety of vegetables can be easily added or substituted. I also add a sprinkle of hard cheese like Cheddar or Gruyere to the mixture if I have some on hand.

VEGETABLE PATTIES

makes about a 8 - 10 patties

Ingredients:

2 cups of Potatoes - boiled and mashed, 

1 cup of Broccoli - steamed and cut into tiny bits

1 cup of Aubergine (eggplant), - steamed or roasted and mashed

1 cup of Zucchini - strips are pan-fried and cut into small dice

add salt to taste

Put all the ingredients in to a bowl, and mix well (mix with one hand, the warmth of the hand works the gluten from the potato which helps to bind the mixture without adding eggs). Shape the mixture into the size of a golf ball. Gently press the ball in your palm to flatten it to form a patty. Make all the patties ready for pan-frying. Add a table spoon (or less depending on how many patties you have to fry) of oil of your choice to a frying pan on medium heat. Gently place the patties on the frying pan. Flip the patties only once; otherwise, it will fall apart. Fry the patties about 3 - 5 minutes on each side (all the ingredients are cooked so you don't need over cook it), until a golden-brown crust forms on the skin. Serve the patties warm, or allow them to cool to room temperature.

*Please note:

You can keep the patties in the freezer up to a week. When ready to serve, thaw in the fridge and pan-fry once more without oil (putting a lid over the frying pan will speed up the heating).

In the thick of Bangalore

DAZED AND CONFUSED IN INDIA 1

We are making the rounds in Bangalore, by car and on foot. It's seems no matter how often you go out of the door, it's hard to orient yourself here. The city planning is virtually non-existent and the roads and streets twist and turn in a sort of maze that I have never experienced before. I can proudly say I am good at directions, but in Bangalore I feel blind. To me Bangalore defines the word mayhem. An urban jungle of cars, people from all walks of life, trash-rummaging cows, herds of goats, stray dogs, a family of four riding a motor bike, auto rickshaws, trucks blaring horns, constant construction activity and, you name it, it's on the streets of Bangalore.

DAZED AND CONFUSED IN INDIA 2

On and off switches are opposite from what I am used to in the US. Off is on, on is off.

DAZED AND CONFUSED IN INDIA 3

We eat a wonderful breakfast at the Sundance Service Apartment. It's different every morning with array of fresh fruits and freshly made Indian breakfasts. One morning, I wanted a plain omelette just with eggs, the kind manager kindly took my request and with the Indian head shake say "Yes ma'am, I'll get you an omelette". A couple of minutes later and my omelette came with loads of onions and chilies.

DAZED AND CONFUSED IN INDIA 4

In India one drives on the left-hand side. But there is a stretch of street in front of the Garuda mall that has right-hand side driving! It's utter chaos to drive on that stretch. 

DAZED AND CONFUSED IN INDIA 5

We are in search of organic milk in Bangalore. This hasn't been an easy task. I've made many trips to organic/natural grocers here but come home empty handed. Yesterday I received a tip-off about an organic milk supplier in town, Era Organics. I called to confirm if the information was true and I was pleasantly surprised that it was indeed correct, we just need to come down to the store as they have it in stock. Although the man who was on the phone hung up on me after asking how often they get their supplies replenished, I was hopeful. First thing in the morning, l got Leela ready to go as this was a long trek across town. After confirming with the driver who was confident he knew where we needed to go, we were off to Dollars Colony. After driving for almost an hour I knew something wasn't right, he didn't know the directions after all. Somehow, we managed to get to the grocery by asking people on the road. I was filled with excitement but my hopes were finally dashed. What, they don't have milk? They don't have a supplier? They never carried organic milk? They are hoping to carry organic milk?

I took a deep breath for an Om. 

Our first week in Bangalore, India

DAY ONE: HERE WE ARE IN BANGALORE
We have officially made the move to India, specifically Bangalore, on June 06 2011.

Hello to friends that we could not say 'Goodbye' to before we left. It was hectic, as you can imagine a continental move might be.

We are here after a long-anticipated move. It feels somewhat unreal, and yet it is very real. India greeted us with its ash-smoke filled air, assemblage of cars honking their horns, and monsoon humidity that makes you feel like you are a sticky sticker.

We found our retreat at Casa Cottage and here our first days begin. Zzzz for now.

DAY TWO: WHERE ARE WE AGAIN?
We have had our first full taste of the difficulties India has in store for us. On the first day, no hot water in our room. On the second, no water at all! Just as they 'fixed' the problem, the water disappeared again as George went in for a shower. They finally fixed the water, and than there was a power outage as Michelle started her shower. She was left in the dark, wet with shampoo in her eyes and hair, with no water at all. All the lights and fans stopped working. 

What to do? We retreat on a dark, sticky night in Bangalore, as we cross our finger and pray to the gods. The Indian gods should work better here!

DAY THREE: PEACE BE WITH US
We wake up to a beautiful, fresh-air morning after the downpour the night before. We've moved to Sundance Service Apartments. This place is a little sanctuary in the mist of chaos of the city and it made a heavenly difference from what we were faced with at the previous place. Thank the (native) gods. Leela had her first full nights sleep, and we are all well rested. We were presented with a wonderful breakfast of juice, watermelons and cantaloupe. We ate piping hot idlis with sambar and coconut chutney. We were well fueled up for the day. Now, we can focus on the task at hand and, first thing first, the office and house search begins.

The Selling point - Best of the worst

George's office search marches on as with the house. The three spaces were presented to us as the 'Best of the Worst' by the broker. What a selling point!. NEXT, please.

DAY FOUR: LEELA'S INDIA
India is a marvelous place for children, the attention and interaction Indian adults and young teenagers give to children is unparalleled any where in the world. This interaction is very healthy and good exposure for Leela as she learns to communicate. Leela is absolutely fascinated with the people here, as they are with her. She slaps high-fives with strangers and waves & kisses good-bye as we leave restaurants and shops. Is this my daughter? India is changing Leela.

DAY FIVE: OPEN KITCHEN, PLEASE

Kitchens seem to be of little importance in India. It's a place for maids and servants to prepare food, to be hidden away. Most are placed in dark and dingy corners of the house with maids quarters adjoining. Do people not enjoy cooking? Are they not enticed by the sights, sounds and smell of food? Don't they want to peek, poke and taste as the food is being prepared? And roll up their own sleeves to try their hands at it? I spent most of my childhood, after school, in the kitchen, peeling garlic and oiling seaweed sheets and helping to set tables. It was an absolute joy to see what magical things happen in the kitchen at all times of the day. My mom and grandma taught me how to measure water for making rice, scale a whole fish and taught me the importance of picking and using fresh local ingredients. So, till this day the kitchen is the room I enjoy being most in, for the pure fact that this is where my heart is. This is where I openly show my love for cooking and sharing the food with my loved ones.  The brokers tell me, 'You don't need to cook here, the servant does that', which sounds like a death sentence to me.

DAY SIX: UB DELICIOUS
UB City, a high end mall with outdoor restaurants, has been my go to place for Leela and our meals.  They have a small interactive fountain (ones that shoot water from the hole on the floor) with lights that Leela and other kids go crazy about.  It has a number of nice restaurants, Italian, French, Middle Eastern, Indian, etc., all quite authentic with excellent food.  Fortunately it's really close to where we are staying, so we can walk over in the evening and get something to eat.  There is a "pan-Asian" restaurant which serves "Vegetarian Bulgogi", what an oxymoron. Their regular bulgogi tasted like soy sauce candied meat, which did not please Michelle too much!  A few days later we met a couple who have a "multi-cuisine" restaurant in Bangalore, and to our surprise they also have bulgogi on the menu. Supposedly it's a new hip thing to eat for Bangaloreans. They have asked Michelle to check out how authentic their bulgogi is. And introduce to their chefs few other Korean foods to include in their menu.

Finding sticky Korean rice!
I didn't think finding sticky Korean rice would be even more important to me than looking for a place to live in Bangalore. I visited many markets, brought a bag of Indian rice that resembled short grain rice. Many people have told me it is very hard to come by, sometimes a Thai shop in the next town may have it but it get sold-out almost immediately. Tonight, we decided go eat some Korean food at one of three Korean restaurants in Bangalore called Hae Kum Gang in Askoknagar area. The menu is quite extensive covering soups, kim bap (Korean rice rolls), many kinds of jeon (Korean savory pancakes), stews, rice dishes, stir-fried entrée and some korean-chinese dishes as well. I look around the restaurant, lo and behold, a small stand of Korean ingredients to purchase. I was so excited and brought home a bag of rice (three times more expensive than what I'm used to), some seasoned seaweed sheets and a bottle of soy sauce. I'm a happy Korean girl in Bangalore.