Will I ever take my daughter to a zoo or circus?

I’ve been to zoos and circuses as a kid. I’ve enjoyed them too! Who would miss the chance of being up and close with animals, right? And being fond of animals made these visits even more fun for me.

However, over a period of time, I stopped enjoying them. In fact, I used to get a very strong annoying, guilty feeling when I used to visit these places. A feeling, almost as if trying to remind me that these animals were not supposed to be doing what they were doing. Bicycling, jumping through fire, standing on stools….these were not ordinary animal behavior! They did not do that in the wild, then why would they do it here? That’s when it started dawning on me that probably, they were being made to do these things. But how? I knew for a fact, how hard it was to even get a handshake from my dog. So most probably, these animals were beaten, time and again maybe, to get them to do these stunts.

That was where it all started or rather where it all ended. I stopped enjoying these places. Those animals didn’t look happy or healthy. I hated the fact that these free roaming wild animals were kept in chains and forced to act against their natural-nature.

Zoos may have been a little better but even they were a far cry from anything an animal deserved. What every animal or for that matter every being deserves, is FREEDOM – freedom to live their lives the way they want, freedom to choose for themselves. I had read somewhere that captivated animals tend to exhibit weird behavior like rocking back and forth, or being outright depressed and disinterested. I saw these in so many animals kept at the zoo.  Swinging their bodies back and forth was not something adorable that the animals did to amuse us and make us laugh. These animals were lost, depressed. They missed their families, they missed their natural habitat. I used to imagine how it would be to be shut in a room forever, with the only escape being death probably. The very thought of it made my heart sink.

The aftermath of these visits would consume me with grief and guilt for days, until one day, I completely stopped going.

How many studies have shown us how brilliant animals can be? How they possess intelligence beyond what we give them credit for. And yet, this is how we treat them! It’s not just zoos and circuses. There are so many industries and businesses that thrive on animals. And everywhere there is nothing but abuse and utter negligence for them. Be it the leather industry, dairy industry, meat industry, tourism or anything that man does in the name of entertainment or even religion, for that matter.

What makes man think that he can take control and tame another being without its consent? What have we done to earn this superior status? In fact, there have been so many times that animals have proved to us that they’re more forgiving and humane than we are as people. And yet, this is the treatment dished out to them?

But why am I talking about all this today?

I always have this nagging question at the back of my mind….will I ever take my daughter to a zoo or circus? Or for that matter, take her for elephant rides or pony rides outside parks and beaches? Will it be wrong on my part as a parent to not let her do these stuff that probably other kids around her do? Is she too young to understand my justifications on this matter? I’m sure over a period of time, she herself may dislike it (or not), but till then do I get to make these choices for her? Or am I just imposing my thoughts and beliefs on her? For one thing, these were not stuff taught to me. I grew up with a pet at home and my mother was an animal lover. Maybe that’s where my affection for animals stemmed from. And this empathy for them also developed, on its own, over a period of time. So maybe the same would apply to her? Does that mean I trust my daughter to make the right decisions (when the time’s right of course) and for now, let her be a kid and enjoy her childhood?

Maybe the answer is in taking the middle path… I need to let her, have her fair share of experiences, after all that’s where she learns the rights and the wrongs from. That wouldn’t mean I give into all her whims but the best I can do is guide her, teach her right and maybe, be the example that she can follow..

 

 

 

 

That big rendezvous

I sat down quite a few times to write down something, but somehow, I just couldn’t get my thoughts out straight…

And then, I knew what I wanted to write about – The big rendezvous of Ceaser and Adriti – A day we had been dreading, as much as we had been looking forward to! 😀

When I was in Bangalore post delivery and R came to visit us, I would send a couple of the baby clothes back with him, so that he would be able to get Ceaser used to the baby’s smell. This was something we had read would work while introducing your baby to your pet.

It didn’t come as a surprise however, that Ceaser was more interested in ripping apart the clothes rather than smelling and figuring out whom it belonged to!

After multiple failed attempts, we just decided to let things flow and wait for the “fateful” day.

When that day did arrive, Ceaser had to be brought back from the boarding only after we all were home already. So basically, he returned back to a house, full of new smells. And the fact that we had just moved to a new place did not help either. The excitement of meeting me again, along with all of the over-whelming new smells, plus the tiredness of having played for 4 whole days with other dogs at the boarding, seemed to take a toll on Ceaser. He seemed confused, the home full of people left him running around from room to room and he refused to eat.

Being the curious dog that he is, he would come near the baby(whom we very reluctantly allowed him to near, least he mistake her to be a squeeze toy!) and the minute she would cry, he would bolt from the room!

Adriti, on the other hand, was completely oblivious to the fact that another living being even existed, and probably still is…! Maybe she still thinks of him as an over-sized doggy-teddy bear!

As for us, this was now quite how we had planned the re-union( His vet says he would have known about the baby right from my pregnancy days…apparently dogs have a way of knowing this…what?!!) to be. We thought it would be filled with Ceaser running around with Adriti’s soiled diapers and tiny human clothes( all of which did happen, eventually!). The image of a confused and terrified Ceaser never even entered our minds!Anyway, we decided to just give him a little bit of space and time to figure stuff out. Plus Adriti had not started moving, so that helped. He would be close to her only if he willingly came close.

It took him a week, but he finally did start warming up to her. 🙂

And now, it’s so adorable to watch them…he does not miss a chance to lick her tiny feet and hands, and face too(if allowed!!). These two have their own moments when no-one’s watching…she tries to reach out and catch hold of his tail or head or fur or whatever she can get her hands on, and he in turns gives her 2-3 reassuring licks! 😀 When she wakes from her sleep and cries, he’s the first to run to her!

I know what it was to grow up with a dog and I’m glad my daughter’s got it too! This is exactly what I wanted…probably I got much more than i expected, if I may.. 🙂

Recent update: Well, its been a few months since this post has been lying around in my drafts and guess what, I have a small update…our baby girl LOVES dogs! In all size and forms 😀 She coos at them, laughs at things they do and this reaction is not just for Ceaser…any dog she meets, she loves! Life’s good for her dog loving parents! 🙂

 

Postpartum journey of a new mom

When I got pregnant, the first three months were hard. After that it was pretty much smooth, other than for the aches and pains that comes with a growing belly. Touchwood, the labor was also bearable. I had a NVD and my baby was out within 6 hours. I was completely fine right from day one of the delivery. I had seen a few friends after their delivery, and they would look tired or worn out. I was glad that I wasn’t one of them. Little did I know of what was to come.

If somebody would ask me which is the most difficult period, during this entire journey of having a child, I would say it is the first few weeks after the baby is born. I was in the hospital for 4 days after my delivery and everything seemed fine. The moment I reached home from the hospital, the pressure started to build. Everyone seemed to have their own opinion about what was best for the baby, when the baby has to be fed, what needs to be done for the baby etc. Oh, and it was not just for the baby! I was asked to sit in a certain way, sleep in a certain way, eat only a certain kind of food, tie a cloth/belt around my tummy, all this with an aching body and a newborn, of whose needs, I had no clue about.

I remember feeling so lost at that time! I would look at my social media feed and yearn for those carefree, happy days that I felt everyone except me was having. Every day seemed like every other day, doing the same thing – feed the baby, eat, sleep for a few hours(i.e. when the baby slept, but how was sleep most elusive at such times?!) and so it continued, on and on.  Add to that, the lack of sleep at night, 2-3 hour feeds through the day and all kinds of restrictions possible – no going out, no socializing, no phones/books/tv nothing!

P.S: I know this may seem a bit extreme to some of you, but a 40-day confinement practise is something that is followed in many houses in India after a woman gives birth. This period is believed to help the woman recover after childbirth.)

I started feeling like I was being punished for something. I’m a person who loves her freedom and this situation was simply suffocating. I used to cry at the drop of a hat! I would get angry and snap at everyone around me. I had negative feelings about myself and the baby. I would google things like when would the baby start sleeping at a stretch, when would her feeds reduce in frequency and more such stuff. And the guilt at screaming at the people around me, didn’t help either! I knew they were doing what they were doing, with the best of intentions, but the entire experience was hellish! And to top it all, I was scared of complaining about these things because I thought people would perceive me to be a bad mom. People would ask me how it felt like to be a new mom, and frankly, I did not know! The only thought that would cross my mind would be – ”Why didn’t ANYONE tell me how hard it really was!!”. I started realizing that probably many of the mommy friends whom I was talking about in para one, were the way they were, because of these sudden changes that came about after becoming a mother! Frankly, no amount of reading, no amount of preparation can ever really ready any first time mom for this period!

The reason I’m speaking about all of this, is to tell other new moms out there that it’s completely normal to feel this way! I wish someone had told me this, then! It would have saved me a lot of guilt and worry! I think at some level, every new mom goes through Postpartum depression, in some form or the other. What’s most important though, is to tell yourself again and again, that this is just a phase and that before long, we’ll love the role of being a mommy to the little one (Just wait till the baby starts reciprocating to your calls and cues, you’ll simply love it!). Till then, give yourself and the little one time to adjust to each other and the new environment. And don’t ever let anyone make you feel like you’re not a good enough mom. Every mother does the best she can for her child.

Here are some things that I resorted to doing to make my situation better. Hope this helps!

• I needed someone to whom I could express my feelings to. My hubby was my biggest support. He would simply listen and comfort me when I cried and complained. Over time, things started to fall into place, slowly. By the end of month one, the situation was much better. You can take the help of a sibling or spouse or a friend even, to confide your feelings and fears. Even if they’re not able to help, you’ll at least have someone to talk and vent out your emotions to!
• Rope in your partner into making decisions about/for your child and as long as you both are in sync, nothing else matters. People were against me, using diapers on my child but I realized that she gets up frequently whenever she wets herself(especially at night). I discussed with my husband and we started using diapers on her, and this really helped her sleep better, giving me the much needed break in those initial days.
• Also, taking some time off everyday to give yourself some “me” time is the best. I used to love my massage cum bath-time. That was the only time when the crying baby was not handed over to me for a feed! Phew!
• Expressing and storing milk in bottles is something I decided I wanted to start off early on. I was planning to exclusively breastfeed my baby for the first 6 months, which meant I wouldn’t be able to step out of home for more than 2-3 hours at a stretch. Expressing gave me some time off every once in a while, to run errands or socialize.
• Carrying a baby, feeding it etc can cause aches and pains in the body. Getting a massage would go a long way in relaxing those strained muscles. We had a maalishwali(massage person) come over for me and the baby, so I did not really go out exclusively to get massages done, but if that’s not the case with you, massages are truly a blessing!
• Baby carriers are another discovery that I’m thankful for. This not only helps you get work done while carrying a baby, it also helps you both bond better. The baby can be with you the entire time, observing you, learning from you and being close to your heart. What better way to calm a cranky baby plus get work done at the same time! There are many ergonomic carriers available in the market today, which can be used right from the newborn stage itself!
• Lastly, Exercise. I’m a work in progress when it comes to exercising since I started only a while back (1.5 months post delivery). But, not only does it make me feel refreshed and renewed, it also helps me feel better about myself, knowing that I’m beginning my baby steps in shedding that pregnancy weight. It’s always best to check with your OB-GYN before starting off though.

What are the things you did to help you settle into the new-mommy role better? Do let me know your opinions and comments! 🙂

R for Rabbit – Poppins Stroller

I started looking for strollers a while back for my 3 month old baby and chanced on this brand – “R for Rabbit”, during my search. It had pretty good reviews, so I explored more about this brand and their products.

R for Rabbit has a number of baby products available like strollers, car seats, high chairs etc. What interested me about the brand was that it was started by a mom, in search of portable, safe and convenient baby products for her new born. Who better than a fellow mom to understand what a child needs, right? The general review about this brand is that it is as good as its foreign counterparts like Chicco and Graco when it comes to features and safety but much more economical, being a local brand. Buying a stroller was something that was new to me. I wanted one that would be safe, sturdy, easy to handle, long-lasting while being economical as well.

I ordered the Poppins stroller from R for Rabbit for baby A. Strollers from R for Rabbit come in some very nice and bright colors. There are many varieties available. I went for Poppins since I wanted something that I would be able to fold/carry on my own, with the baby in one hand, during evening walks or other such occasions (In fact, the stroller’s catchphrase is that it’s an ideal pram for ‘Moms’).

Features:

Safety Features: Poppins is EN 1888 Safety Certified which is one of the most stringent certification defined by European Standards. In fact, these strollers are crash tested, tested for mechanical strength and quality of color & parts used.

Age: 0 to 3 Years

Weight: 0 to 20 Kg

One Hand Fold: Poppins provides a one hand fold i.e. you can fold the pram whilst holding the baby in the other hand, making it an ideal companion for moms.

Very Light-weight: Again, designed with mothers in mind, Poppins is extremely light-weight at 6.5kgs making it lighter than most prams in the market by 3 kgs!

Multi-position Recline: The seat is recline-able and uses a simple mechanism to do this. It can be made to recline all the way back (perfect for newborns, providing head support) and  can also be adjusted to a sitting position for infants and toddlers.

6 inch wheels with suspension: Poppins features a 4-wheel suspension in the front which provide a 360 degree rotation, making it easy to maneuver.

Five Point Harness: 5 point harness keeps your baby cosy and safe at all times.

Removable Meal tray with cup holder: One of the features I’ve always wanted on my baby’s pram was a cup holder and Poppins comes with this!

Reversible Handle with forward-facing & mom-facing seat: Poppins features a reversible handle with an easy locking system that lets mothers have fun conversations with their kids while moving about.

Adjustable leg rest: Poppins by R for Rabbit has an ergonomically designed leg rest with fun “paw prints” that provides a comfortable seating position.

Other than this, it comes with an easy-lock on the wheels, to keep the pram stationary. It also has a retractable canopy with a small pocket, which can be used to store the baby essentials. It also has a storage basket at the bottom.

My experience with Poppins:

Pros:

1. Super easy to assemble and operate – You even have youtube videos available for this
2. Very lightweight – can be easily carried around
3. Easily foldable and compact
4. Safety harness keeps the baby in place
5. Reversible handle is great to sooth the baby, especially if he/she starts to get cranky
6. Attractive color
7. Nice features like cup holder, retractable hood, a small pouch to hold essentials, a storage basket beneath

Cons:

1. I wish it were a little more sturdier. The wheels seem a little too delicate for our Indian-roads. However, it would work well for a walk in the apartment complex, malls etc.
2. It would have been nice if the seats had a little more cushioning. I generally put a soft, thick sheet below my baby to provide more cushioning and comfort especially while on the move.

Conclusion:

Personally, I like the pram. It’s a light and convenient product with super cute designs and features. It’s a best fit for moms who want to take their babies out for a walk or for a grocery run. It may not be the best for walking on graveled/rugged roads, there are more sturdier prams available in R for Rabbit for that. But for the price that it comes at and the promises it keeps, it’s worth a buy. Baby A loves the ride, so brownie points for that too!

Price Comparison:

• Amazon – INR 4599/-
• Firstcry – INR 4576/-
• R for Rabbit – INR 5598/-

We bought it from Firstcry as we also get loyalty cash with every purchase!

Preparing for the incoming stranger

Pregnancy is a new and very different phase of a girl’s life and it wouldn’t be wrong to say that nothing can prepare her for the jolts and changes that it can bring along. I’ve heard people say that mothers are selfless and what they go through to give birth to a child, only a mother knows! This is completely true and as I’ve progressed in my pregnancy, I’ve come to believe that all the things people say related to a woman and her baby or pregnancy are absolutely, 100% true. Be it that her body undergoes so many innumerable changes, or that she suddenly starts feeling this very strong maternal/protective instinct towards something she’s not even seen or met, or that she actually takes a re-birth when she gives birth to a child! And why I can say all of this with utmost surety is because I’ve just gone through this phase.

Nothing, and I mean nothing in the world can prepare you for those days when you’re going to be sick, throwing up from morning to night, or writhing with back-pain, as your back needs to work that much harder to support your growing belly, or those sleepless nights when you’re not allowed to sleep on your back but cannot sleep on your sides because it’s so darn uncomfortable. And not to forget – LABOR! Yikes!

Oh, but don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to freak you out here! In fact, nothing in the world can compare to that feeling either, that you get when you see the little life growing inside you, moving with its tiny feet and hands, having heartbeats! The first time I “realized” I had an actual baby growing inside me was during my 3rd month scan when I could actually see the baby’s hands and legs, its tiny little nose and hear its heartbeats – loud and clear. The last thing I expected during the scan was getting emotional! I thought that’s just something they show in movies. But the minute I saw that little thing, full of life, moving inside me, I wept and wept out of pure joy! I cannot really think back to any other experience in my life, till date, that has moved me to this extent! In fact, the memories of that scan still give me goosebumps! That’s how magical the entire experience is! Oh, and not to forget the baby kicks – Gentle reminders through the day of that little rascal inside you. 😀

Many at times, during my pregnancy, I’ve been confused or scared or unsure about doing something v/s not doing something. So, I basically spent a lot of time reading-up stuff.       One can never have enough information when it comes to having a baby, but these were a few things I found useful and would like to share with you all. However, do remember that this is just my personal opinion and things that worked for me( having consulted prior-ly with my OB-GYN, of course)  and it would be best for you to consult with your healthcare provider, before adopting certain stuff.

• Pregnancy is a time when a lot of people would stress to you about eating the right food. However, it’s not about eating for two, rather, it’s about eating more in terms of calories(about 300 – 400 more) on a daily basis, according to how far along you are. I would also like to add, eat whatever you feel comfortable eating, as long as it’s healthy. Craving junk food is almost a given during pregnancy but we’re talking here about the healthy food that has to be eaten too..Sigh! For example, a lot of foods made me sick. And the more I tried to force-feed myself, the more sick i got. So I found alternatives. I made sure I fine-tuned stuff so as to get the maximum nutrition but in a way that comforted me. For example, eating lentils made me feel sick to my stomach, and being a vegetarian I needed to make up for my protein intake. I did this with greek yogurts, tofu and soy chunks, broccoli etc. I also had Nutrilite protein powder with my milkshakes and also mixed it in with chapatti atta. Being free of odour and any strong flavors, it was the best fit for the nauseated-me! And not to add the threptin biscuits that were available.  I agree that the natural sources of proteins are the best, and I tried to have them whenever I could, but when my pregnancy hormones just wouldn’t allow it, I had to make do with these stuff. Also, fruits and dry fruits were my biggest friends in those 9 months. FYI, the best advice I got was to eat a banana a day – That really does keep the constipation at bay!
• Exercise is something else that a lot of people would stress upon. A daily walk of 15-20 minutes not only helped me deal with my crazy mood-swings but also aided better digestion. And what better way to spend some extra time with your spouse! I also tried doing a little yoga(which did not involve a lot of stretching or bending) and breathing exercises. Just light exercises to keep my muscles flexible and ache-free(if there even was such a thing!). Another very important set of exercises I discovered were pelvic-floor exercises. These are great for not only helping with NVD but also for the recovery process, post delivery.
• It’s better to read up on stuff related to the baby, like if you want to try cloth diapering v/s disposables, or if you want to take a look at baby-wearing etc. Getting an idea beforehand helps you research and know your options rather than settling for the first option you get after the baby is born. Shopping and prepping the baby clothes, as well as buying baby products are things you’ll want to do too, sometime in your third trimester.
• Another thing to do in the third trimester is to keep the hospital bags packed – one for you and one for the little one. Keeping all the essentials, like insurance card, clothes required in the hospital, coming-home clothes, mittens for the baby(especially important as the baby would have nails and may scratch himself in the face), maternity bra, nursing pads, sanitary napkins, newborn diapers etc. You may also want to keep receiving/swaddling blankets, face/body towels for you and the baby and of course, toiletries.These are things you can buy at the hospital or get from home later, but it’s always good to keep it packed, as that would be one less thing to worry about later on. Plus, if you’re someone who would want to read about the products and buy a particular brand only, purchasing and keeping them ready, in advance, works better.
• It’s good to also look up on stuff like breast pumps, nipple shields, nursing pads, nipple creams etc. These are things you may need immediately after the baby is born. So this is the time you can research on them,the brand you want to buy, their purpose etc, so that when time comes, you’ve to just buy them, because frankly, the little one will need all your attention, once he/she arrives, leaving you little time to look at these stuff then. 
• The third trimester again is the best time for pregnancy photoshoots, if you’re interested in them, that is. 🙂 This would also be a good time to talk and book a photographer if you’re planning on doing a newborn shoot!
• Another thing many couples are adopting now-a-days is babymooning. Babymoon is a time when you and your man can take some time off, go for a vacay, put your legs up and relax. This may also probably be one of the last holidays just the two of you take, as a couple that is, so might as well make the most of it! The best time, according to me for this would be the second trimester. It is during the second trimester when most of us are rid of the morning sickness etc and feel more energetic. By the third trimester we would be too tired of tugging around the huge belly anyways!
• Lastly, and this is purely my opinion, but I wanted to be prepared for what was to come when labor hits. 😀 I didn’t want any surprises in the delivery room. So I read about how labor pains would start or how and when they’re induced, what is an epidural, how it’s administered, what are the different stages in labor, how to relax better when labor starts etc. Just stuff I thought I should know! I’m not the most courageous person when it comes to enduring pain or seeing graphic stuff but there was no getting out of this one, so I figured I had better be prepared beforehand! I couldn’t get myself to see videos though, so instead, I read it all. It was hard at first but it sure did help in  painting a picture about what was to come, and I don’t regret it! There are others who may think otherwise, and that’s fine. To each, his own.

Oh, by the way, I know of a friend who started off seeing cartoons of labor, just to ease herself into watching the actually videos! Heh.

I’d like to sign off saying – Pregnancy is a process, the nice things you carry along as fond memories and the not so nice things…ah, you learn to forget! But through it all, remember to get pampered, go get a massage even.. and enjoy all the attention you’re getting now, ‘cause soon,you ain’t gonna get much! Lol.

P.S: My husband and I were blessed with a beautiful baby girl a couple of months back! 🙂

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Eggless Fruit and Nut cake using Cooker

My first attempt at baking began after my marriage, when I was in the USA. There, even rented places come with an in-built oven and that is where I discovered my joy for baking!

Once back in India, baking became a challenge for me as I did not have an oven at home and my microwave was not the convection type either.

After seeing multiple videos and doing up a little bit of reading about it, I realized that baking can be done using our very own pressure cooker as well.

I was skeptical at first and particularly concerned about the safety issues but after seeing multiple videos/posts I decided to give it a try.

So below are the steps I followed to for this yummy smelling, heavenly-tasting eggless fruit and nut cake which I had baked during the christmas/new year time of the year, to add to the festive feel 🙂

The cake recipe is borrowed from showmethecurry which is a website I’ve been following for a long time now.

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup all purpose flour or maida
2. ½ cup powdered sugar (I just powdered down the normal granular sugar)
3. ½ cup of any dry fruit of your choice (I used raisins and apricots)
4. ½ cup of any nuts of your choice (I used cashews, pista, almonds and walnuts)
5. ¼ cup butter and 2 tsp more if needed
6. ¼  tsp cinnamon powder
7. ¼ tsp nutmeg or jaiphal(nutmeg in hindi)
8. ½ tsp baking soda
9. ¼ tsp salt
10. ½ tsp vanilla essence
11. 1 cup water

Preheating:

A heavy bottomed cooker must be taken and filled with a cup of salt or enough salt to coat the bottom of the cooker generously. The salt is used as a layer separating the bottom of the cooker from the cake pan in order to prevent the cake from burning. It also helps maintain the oven like feel/temperature within the cooker.

We can place a small flat bottom vessel inverted in the cooker so that our cake pan can then be placed over this in order to prevent the cake from browning at the bottom from direct contact with the cooker+salt.

Ensuring that the black casket is in place on the cooker lid, the cooker can now be closed and allowed to heat up on medium flame for about 10 minutes.

Kindly make sure that the vent of the cooker is not covered i.e. the whistle is not placed on top of the cooker. This is very important as the cooker contains no water inside.

Process:

1. First, cut up the dry fruit(raisins and apricots) and add them to 1 cup of boiling water and allow this to boil for about 10 minutes, covered. This helps in bringing out the flavour of the fruits better.
2. Simultaneously, mix in the dry ingredients i.e. the flour, powdered sugar, cinnamon powder, nutmeg powder, baking soda and salt, in a bowl.
3. Take the boiled fruit mixture in another wide bottomed dish and add in the butter. Allow the butter to melt completely.
4. Slowly mix in the dry ingredients above into this mixture. Add in the cut up nuts as well. Mix half spoon vanilla extract to this bowl. Now the cake mixture is ready to be baked. Add in a little bit of water(¼ cup) or butter(2 tsp) into this to bring it to a pouring consistency.  Also now is a good time to taste the batter and see if you would want to add  something.
5. Now, grease a flat wide-bottomed tray with some cooking oil and put in a tsp of all purpose flour and spread it around. Doing this prevents the cake from sticking to the bottom of the container, once baked. So make sure this step is done properly.
6. Finally, carefully place the cake vessel into the cooker (after the 10 min preheating step) and let it sit in the cooker for 20-25 min.

At the end of twenty five minutes, the wonderful smelling cake will be ready!

The process to test if the cake is done is by inserting a toothpick or a sharp ended knife etc into the middle of the cake. If it comes out clean, the cake is ready!

Post Baking steps:

1. Allow the cake to cool down for about 15-20 minutes and slowly invert the vessel with the cake, onto another plate. If it does not come out easy, allow it to cool for a little longer and try.
2. The yummy cake is now ready to be devoured warm with some ice-cream or eaten later  with some wine and pasta after it completely cools down 🙂

Some tips:

1. Make sure there is enough salt at the bottom of the cooker. Using too less may not be appropriate for the process. Don’t be disappointed as this salt can be stored and used again later for baking something else 😉 Also, when you see the process working and your cake rising beautifully, the extra salt you used will be the last thing on your mind, trust me!
2.  Also, the salt may brown a little during the baking process. Don’t get worried! As long as there is enough salt coating the cooker, you’re covered!
3.  A good thing to do would be to open the cooker mid way into the baking process and see how far the cake is done, just to make sure it does not get browned.
4.  Make sure you add the cinnamon powder and nutmeg, as this contributes immensely to the aroma and taste of the cake.
5.  I’ve taken the quantity of these ingredients considering 2 people. If you feel it’s too little, just double the quantity and you’re good to go! Just make sure you double the baking time as well. However, always remember to check on the cake mid-way through the baking process.
6.  Preheating the cooker for 10 minutes worked for me, however this may vary based on the cooker material/flame etc, so you can preheat for 6-7 min instead, if you want to be sure that the cooker does not get overheated. The only difference in this case would be that the duration of baking may increase a little bit more.

So friends, try this lovely, easy-peasy recipe and make sure you share your experience with me. Till then, Happy Baking!

After a long day at work…

I’m generally exhausted after a long day at work as I’m sure many are. The traffic does nothing to lessen my woes.

But the minute I insert the key into the door of my home and hear the scratching sound from inside, I just forget all my tiredness for a few minutes!

Ceaser, our adopted indie-pup came into our household when he was just over four months old. After years of yearning and anticipation, finally my hubby gave in to my wish of having a dog at home. Bringing in Ceaser was a difficult choice to make, given our long work schedules and the fact that bringing in a dog would come with its own set of responsibilities. Our parents didn’t make it any easier, with all their worries about how we would manage, how the dog would be alone the entire day etc. But my husband and I decided to go ahead and we brought him home on the 21st of August 2016, just a day before our 4th wedding anniversary. He was our very own anniversary gift and probably the best one, if I may add!

Life has not been the same after that! 😀

True, there are responsibilities involved, like we need to plan stuff like outings ahead of time, we cannot go out or rather prefer not to go out in the evenings/weekdays after office since that would mean long hours alone for Ceaser, the house is almost always a mess, our new sofas are in tatters and covered in ugly, smelly rags almost the entire time!

But in spite of all this, Ceaser has brought in more joy into our life than I can ever imagine! Just the way he grabs our clothes or something of importance to us and makes a bolt for it, ducking from us and running round and round the house adds that much more spice and not to mention exercise ;), to our mornings! The way he looks at me if I’m upset or crying makes me forget whatever was troubling me and simply laugh and give him a tight hug. The joy of walking into the house doubles, when he’s around, sniffing our bag and demanding our attention. You should see the way he wakes up R for his morning walks! He first taps him and I promise, i’m not exaggerating here, he actually lifts up his paw and taps him. Lol. He then lies down facing R and tries to push him off the bed with all four legs. And the newest trick up his sleeve, he removes the blanket off R! He actually picks up one end of it and just pulls it! It’s so hilarious and cute that anyone would forget their grumpiness at being woken up so early!

There are so many things about Ceaser that make us smile, and probably that’s the thing about dogs, there is so much cuteness even in their naughtiness that it makes you forget the naughtiness part and just enjoy and have fun with them!

I still remember the first time we met Ceaser. He was this tiny, malnourished pup, playing on his own, hating the company of other dogs, probably even bullied by other pups. We couldn’t believe he was 4 months old because he didn’t look 4 months. He loved humans was what we figured – when Shalaka, his foster mom, left the room, the only set of eyes following her exit, were Ceaser’s. We fell in love with Ceaser then and there! He had become a part of our lives and conversations even before he actually came into our home!

I can go on and on with tales about Ceaser…in fact R and I have already become pseudo parents. Half the time, our thoughts and talks revolve around Ceaser and his antics!

Having said that, I should also add that we’re expecting a baby soon. In fact, we got to know this just a few days after Ceaser joined us. Frankly, I do not know how we will manage a crazy dog and a new born together! 😀 but we sure as hell are going to get through it and not just “manage” but actually have a blast being together! And now, no matter what, there is not a single instance when I can imagine my life without that fur ball anymore.

Before signing off, I just want to add, to all those people who’re on the fence about getting a dog, do(g) it! I’m telling you, it’s soo worth it!  Also, “adopt-not-shop” – There are a lot of munchkins waiting out there for a deserving home. 🙂