HELLO

 

The skies may still be gloomy, but there’s sunlight breaking through.

We are talking about the first time this year that we have reason to celebrate – from now and right up to the end of the year! Let’s make the most of each and every one of these occasions. So happy Dussehra, Durga Puja, Navratri, MiladunNabi, Halloween, Diwali, Kali Puja, Bhai Dooj, Chhath Puja, Hanukkah and Christmas!

We at Vaswani intend to live the rest of this year in the spirit of a Fresh Start. So this issue of Shared Space brings you some food for thought on how to reorganise and refresh your spaces. But that’s not all. Pack in the rest of 2020 with joy that covers the whole year with good memories.

This festive season is also a time to get together with small groups of your loved ones. Celebrate friendship and family with the smorgasbord of goodness in our recipe section. This is the firsteverthali recipe – that’s 10 recipes at one go!

Shower your family with gifts of appreciation this festive season to let them know how much they mean. Just a word of caution though – as we get back to life as it could be, let’s do so responsibly.

From the Vaswani family, good health, prosperity, and warm fuzzies!

Team Vaswani.

FEATURE

 

Guess what you and I have in common with Reese Witherspoon and Gwyneth Paltrow? Our closets and wardrobes sometimes get into a terrible tangle!

While Paltrow and Witherspoon have celebrity closet organisers to sort their stuff out, you and I have just our wits to rely on. So if you have been bingeing on The Home Edit on Netflix and yearning for adjustable shelves, separators and custommade labels to sort out your closet mess, worry not.

These tips on how to get your home in order just in time for the festive season will get you there, all on your own.

PURGE

Some call it purging, others call it editing. TomaytoTomahto. Whatever you call it, this step is crucial to getting your home sorted for the festive season. Go room by room, closet by closet, and make three piles of your stuff: Keep, donate/sell, discard. You can, like Marie Kondo, decide whatto do with an item by asking yourself one question, “Does it spark joy?”. Or you can, like Joanna and Clea of The Home Edit, ask two: (1) Do you use it? (2) Do you love it? And once you decide, no backsies!

SORT

Once you have the things you want to keep or store, sort them. You can sort by season, for example, with clothes. Now might be the time to bring out lighter winterwear and put away summery tops and vests. Or sort by occasion: festive, work, and everyday. The principles hold true for not just clothes, but even for kitchenware. If you want to feel festive this season, it might be time to pull out the nice table linen and crockery!

CLEAN

 

Most shows and books on organising skip this step – but this could be your #1 key to an organised home: Clean before you put away. Especially in a tropical country like India where dust and mould and vermin tend to grow, do a thorough deep clean of all your belongings – bags, shoes, winterwear, whites, pots and pans, before you put
them away. This will save you time, money, and in the case of precious possessions, heartbreak.

ORGANISE

 

This is not one tip – but a cluster of tips!

1. Pull everything out of the shelves. You can tackle either one room at a time or a closet at a time, but do not leave anything on the shelves. This helps you not just take stock of what you own, but also assess how much space you have and whether that space can be used better.
2. Pay attention to visual coherence. A closet with matching hangers will automatically look cleaner and more sorted than one with a mix of colourful plastic, aluminium, and wooden hangers.
3. A protip: Always use transparent boxes. We tend to use what we can see and never ever use what’s hidden away!
4. Walk through the house to create functional stations. For example, in one episode of The Home Edit, Joanna and Clean created a station for a client who would change her bags often. Having a station where you can empty the contents of your bag will not just make the switch to a different bag easier, but also spare you the agony of misplaced keys or wallets!
5. Group and store similar stuff together. Store all your giftwrapping paper neatly rolled up in one tub, right next to a tray with glue, cello tape, and scissors. So much easier to wrap your Diwali gifts!
6. Recycle and reuse, as much as you can. A simple example: Empty toilet paper rolls are great for storing rolled up giftwrapping paper!
7. Last – or maybe we should say, first – deep clean everywhere. Windows, doors, switches, under and behind furniture! Don’t let a single dust mite thrive.

Do you have tips for getting your home festive ready? Write in to us!

MALL

 

THE BROOKEFIELD MALL IS SPANKING CLEAN, SAFE AND OPEN!

 

Your favorite weekend haunt, the Vaswani Brookefield Mall, is now open! So get ready for a Friday night movie at Inox, which will run at a maximum of half capacity.

And we have a rigorous sanitation protocol prior to and while its doors are open every day, so it’s absolutely safe for you and your family.

Give yourselves a longdeserved break. Say no to lockdown blues, and yes to retail therapy. Get your pick of the best in brands from Soch, Max, Pantaloons, Biba, W, and Levi’s, to Zodiac, Melange, Reliance Digital, and plenty more!

Watch the sun set from BOHO on the rooftop, in a vast and verdant space, sipping on a mocktail whose colours give the evening skyscape a run for its money. And whether you’re trying our paanflavoured cocktail or feasting on our smokey woodbaked mutton keema pizzas or pesto paneer bruschetta, you can be sure you’ll want more.

While you shop, mask up and make sure to practise social distancing.

ITPL Main Road, Brookefield, Bangalore.

SPECIAL 

 

A THALI OF JOY

 

Treat your friends and family to a hearty plateful of festive cheer, with this traditional Gujarati thali.

So what makes a Gujarati thali?

This thali we have put together just for you brings together Dal, Drumstick Kadhi, Rice, Aloo Mutter Sabji, Chana Masala Shak, Ringna na Odo (Baigan Bharta), Gulab Jamun, Khaman, Ghee Jaggery, Bajra Rotla, and Pickle.        All recipes are for a serving size for two.

DRUMSTICK KADHI

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of buttermilk
• 1/2 cup gram flour
• 1 tbsp green chilli paste
• 1/2 tsp ginger paste
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder
• 1/4 tsp cumin seeds
• 23 dry red chilli
• 56 curry leaves
• 1 tsp jaggery
• Pinch of asafoetida
• 1/2 cup boiled drumsticks
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt to taste
• Oil as required

Preparation:

In a bowl mix buttermilk and gram flour well without lumps. Heat some oil in a pan and add cumin seeds to pop. Add a pinch of asafoetida, curry leaves, bay leaf and red chilli. Once the red chilli changes colour, add green chilli and ginger paste. Saute well. Now add buttermilk and gram flour mixture and cook for two minutes. Add coriander powder and salt and mix well. Add drumsticks. Add jaggery and combine well. Cook for five minutes and remove from flame.

Dal

 

Ingredients

2 cups of yellow pigeon pea or red gram
• 2 cups of water
• 1 chopped tomato
• 1/2 tsp ginger chilli paste
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• Pinch of asafoetida
• 2 dry red chilli
• 56 curry leaves
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp sugar (optional)
• Salt to taste
• Oil as required

Preparation:

Wash and soak pigeon peas for half an hour. Pressure cook peas with two cups of water for three whistles. Let it cool. Roughly mash cooked peas and keep aside. Heat oil in a frying pan and add mustard and cumin seeds. Add a pinch of asafoetida once they crackle. Add ginger and chilli paste. Add tomato and mix well. Sauté for
two minutes. Add salt, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, and coriander powder. Mix well. Add cooked peas and combine well. Add water if required. Cook for five minutes.
Add lemon juice and sugar. Mix well. Cook for two minutes more. Heat a tablespoon of oil in another pan. Add red chilli and curry leaves. Cook until the chilli turns pale brown and garnish dal.

Rice

Ingredients:

• 1½ cup basmati rice
• Salt to taste
• ½ tsp lemon juice
• 2 cups of water

Preparation:

Wash and soak rice for 20 minutes. Take a pan and boil two cups water. Add soaked rice, salt, and lemon juice. Cook for 10 minutes.

Chana Masala Shak

Ingredients:

• 1 cup brown chickpeas (soaked)
• 2 cups of curd
• Pinch of asafoetida
• ½ tsp ginger garlic paste
• ½ tsp green chilli paste
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp garam masala powder
• ½ tsp kasuri methi
• Salt to taste
• Oil as required
• Water as required

Preparation:

Pressure cook soaked chickepeas in two cups of water until 34 whistles. Heat oil in a pan. Add a pinch of asafoetida. Add ginger garlic paste and green chilli paste. Sauté well. Add red chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, salt, and garam masala powder. Sauté well. Add beaten curd and mix well. Add water to manage thickness and cook for five minutes. Add cooked chickpeas. Add kasuri methi. Mix well, cover and cook for 810 minutes.

Aloo Matar Sabzi

 

Ingredients:

• 2 mediumsized potatoes (chopped)
• ½ cup boiled green peas
• ½ tsp ginger garlic paste
• ½ tsp green chilli paste
• ½ tsp mustard and cumin seeds
• Pinch of asafoetida
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp garam masala powder
• ½ tsp coriander powder
• ¼ tsp kasuri methi
• Salt to taste
• Water as required
• Oil as required

Preparation:

Heat some oil in a pan. Add cumin and mustard seeds and pop. Add a pinch of asafoetida. Add ginger garlic paste and green chilli paste. Sauté well. Add potatoes. Sauté for five minutes. Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, salt and garam masala powder. Mix well. Also add boiled green peas. Add a little water and mix well. Cover the pan and cook for 10 minutes. Add kasturi methi and cook for one or two minutes.

Ringna No Odo (Baingan Bharta)

 

Ingredients:

• 2 large brinjals
• ½ cup chopped tomato
• ½ cup chopped onion
• ½ tsp mustard seeds
• Pinch of asafoetida
• ½ tsp ginger garlic paste
• ½ tsp green chilli paste
• ½ tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp lemon Juice
• Salt to taste
• Oil as required

Preparation:

Pierce brinjal randomly using a knife. Grease brinjals with oil. Cook in barbeque, on coal or in the oven till it becomes dark. Let cool. Peel the skin. Mash roughly using a fork. Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds and let them pop. Add a pinch of asafoetida. Add ginger garlic and green chilli paste. Sauté well. Add onions and
cook until it turns pink. Add tomatoes and sauté for two minutes. Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and salt. Add the mashed brinjal. Mix well. Add lemon juice and cook for another 58 minutes.

Bajra Rotla

Ingredients:

• Ghee for grease
• Water as required
• 2 cups of bajra flour (millet)

Preparation:

Add salt to water and add millet flour. Knead dough. Using the palm, flatten the dough and roll it out in the shape of a roti. Heat the earthen tawa. Cook both sides, and smear ghee in between.

Khaman Dhokla

 

For batter:                                                   For tempering:

• 1 cup gram flour                                      • Oil as required
• 1 tsp lemon juice                                     • ½ tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp baking soda                                    • ½ tsp sesame seeds
• ¾ cup water                                            • 8 – 10 curry leaves
• ¼ cup yogurt                                           • 12 green chillies (rings)
• 1 tsp ginger chilli paste                          • 1 tbsp sugar
• Oil for greasing                                        • Pinch of asafoetida
• Salt to taste                                               • 1/3 cup water

Preparation:

Mix gram flour, lemon juice, baking soda, curd, salt, ginger chilli paste, and yoghurt in a bowl into a fine batter without lumps. Take a dhokla maker and pour water and half a lemon slice into it. Bring water to boil. Pour the batter into the mould. Steam for 1015 minutes. Remove and let cool. In a tempering pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds, a pinch of asafoetida, curry leaves, sesame seeds and green chilies. Sauté well. Add sugar and water. Let the sugar dissolve in the mixture. Boil for 34 minutes. Turn off the flame, pour the mixture on a Khaman plate.              Once it’s set, cut into square pieces.

Ghee Jaggery

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp ghee
• 1 tbsp jaggery

Preparation:

In a small bowl, add melted ghee. Add jaggery. Let cool and keep aside.

Gulab Jamun

 

Ingredients:

For the jamun: 1 cup milk powder, ¼ cup allpurpose flour, a pinch of salt, ¼ tsp baking powder, 1 tbsp ghee, 2 tbsp curd, water as required, oil for frying.

For sugar syrup: 2 cups of water, 2 cups of water, 1½ cups of sugar, pinch of saffron, 34 drops of rosewater, ¼ tsp cardamom powder

Preparation:

In a pan, add water and sugar. Cook under stir consistency. Add saffron and cardamom powder. Mix well. There should be no thread formation in the sugar syrup. Turn off the flame and keep aside.

In a bowl, make a smooth dough with milk powder, allpurpose flour, salt, baking powder, curd, and water as required. Shape into small balls and cover with a wet muslin cloth for 30 minutes. Heat oil in a frying pan and fry the jamuns to golden brown. Strain the oil and let cool. Place these jamuns carefully in the sugar syrup.

Time to assemble the thali!

Garnish the dal, kadhi, and aloo matar with chopped coriander and fried onion. Top the baingan bharta with fried red chillies. Sprinkle sliced almonds on the gulab jamun. Serve the thali with fried pappad and pickles.

Recipe courtesy: Chef Muktar Ali, Hotel Royal Orchid Suites – Whitefield

Get in Touch

Bangalore
Vaswani Victoria, 30 Victoria Road, Bangalore – 47
Phone – 080 49110000

Mumbai
601, Sant Nivas, 14th Road Corner, Khar West, Mumbai
Email – sales@vaswanigroup.com
www.vaswanigroup.com

HELLO

Safe homes, then and now.

For 25 years, our homes have signified a safe space for you and your family. The last few months have underscored just how significant that safe space is, for all of us.

In the last couple of months, our construction sites – the sites where your homes are being built – provided shelter and care of all labourers, our very own workforce on the ground. Yes, we stopped work, but we didn’t stop caring.

And as the world shuffled back to work, we paused. We took time to put in place safety mechanisms on our construction sites. Our teams at all levels are equipped with personal protective equipment and have been
trained in our new sanitation drill – including temperature checks and a 360-degree disinfection tunnel – onsite.

As safety is topmost on all our minds, we take a moment’s pause and talk about wellbeing in this issue of Shared Space. Our recipe of the month is guaranteed to get you started on the path of physical wellbeing. And we have some tips on how you could build a mind of gratitude in these tough times.

You have always been an integral part of our circle of goodwill. Read about the tangible way in which we would like to thank you, in the form of our new and improved referral programme.

As always, do write in to us.

Team Vaswani.

FEATURE

GIVE YOURSELF THE GIFT OF WELLNESS 

Health is a state of body. Wellness is a state of being. – J. Stanford

The past few months have been rough on all of us. Apart from the fears for physical safety of loved ones, the toll that the lockdown and its economic and social repercussions have taken on our emotional wellbeing has been telling.

The need to invest in our general wellbeing has never been greater. Here are some ways in which you can do that.

BE PRESENT

If this period has shown us anything, it is that the only thing we have control over is the present. While the past is a nostalgic memory (or a regret!), worries about the future do not help. What does help, though, is a firm determination to make the most of today, which in turn will secure your tomorrow. One of our valued customers told us that he starts his day with a fixed schedule and that sticking to it has helped him steer through the anxiety of what tomorrow might hold. Living one day at a time, focusing on what needs to be done today, and making memories with your loved ones today – this seemingly simple mantra could make all the difference. To quote the lyrics of an old song, “just forget about tomorrow cos, tomorrow never comes” when you live in the present!

CONSUME CONSCIOUSLY

We typically think of consumption as the food we eat, the products we buy, the resources we use up. But do we ever think of the constant state of consumption that our minds are in? News, debates, arguments, fears, alarmist theories – all of which seamlessly soaks into us through news channels, but more so through social media. Make a conscious decision about the kind of information you want to consume. Another customer told us that she had uninstalled the Facebook and Twitter apps from her phone, and this single act had cut out the noise in her head!

PRACTISE EMPATHY

We have been hearing so much about the good work that many of you have been doing in the community.  Extending oneself in tough times to understand or help another has a ripple effect on one’s own mental wellbeing. And it doesn’t matter if you don’t have the answer either.  John Medina said, “Empathy works so well because it does not require a solution. It requires only understanding.”

FORTIFY YOUR PHYSICAL HEALTH

The human body is an incredibly resilient organism which can, with just a little help, fight sickness. Do whatever you can manage to build up your body’s capacity. Work out, in your living room. Stretch, do yoga, lift light weights available within the house. Eat healthy. Take your vitamin supplements. Keeping fit is now a mental imperative.

 SHARE POSITIVITY

While you rein in the kind of information you consume, also do rein in the kind of news you share. Everyone has access to news, and particularly Covid19 related news. One of our team members shared that just pausing to think for a moment before sharing a piece of news – and choosing, at that moment, to be a positive force, has made a world of difference to his social interactions.

MOST OF ALL, BE SAFE

As our cities start to open, be conscious that Covid19 is still a clear and present danger. Wear a mask every time you step out of home. Carry a sanitiser on your person and sanitise everytime you touch a surface like ATM touchpads, building gates, or lift buttons. Put all packages that come home through a sanitation routine. Maintain social distancing where called for.

The best advice we’ve heard in recent times has come from a cardiovascular specialist, Dr. Ambarish Satwik: “Treat every individual you meet as an asymptomatic COVID19 carrier. Treat every surface you touch as potentially contaminated…”

 

SPECIAL 

CHUG YOUR BREAKFAST DOWN!

STRAWBERRY AND BANANA SMOOTHIE BOWL

Ingredients

For the smoothie bowl
• 1 frozen banana
• 1½ cups of frozen strawberries
• ½ cup of fresh coconut milk for the toppings
• Dried strawberries and bananas
• Fresh strawberries sliced
• Fresh bananas sliced
• Chia seeds
• Crushed walnuts
• Fresh mint leaves

Instructions 

1. Blend the frozen banana, frozen strawberries, and coconut milk, in a blender till it forms a rich puree.
2. You may add a little milk to balance the thickness.
3. Transfer to a glass bowl and add the toppings.
4. Garnish with fresh mint leaves.

Chug up or scoop up this bowl of healthy deliciousness!

Recipe courtesy: Shinoj Joseph, General Manager, Hotel Royal Orchid Suites – Whitefield

RETAIL

 

THE BROOKEFIELD MALLIS SPANKING CLEAN, AND OPEN!

Your favourite neighbourhood hangout, the Vaswani Brookefield Mall now has a rigorous sanitation protocol prior to and while its doors are open every day. Give yourself and your family a well-deserved break. Say bye-bye to
lockdown blues with a healthy dose of retail therapy. The mall brings you the finest in shopping with brands such as Soch, Max, Pantaloons, Biba, W, Levi’s, Zodiac, Melange, and plenty more!

Watch the sunset from a rooftop, in a vast and verdant space, sipping on a mocktail whose colours give the evening skyscape a run for its money. And whether you’re trying our paanflavoured mocktail or feasting on our smokey wood baked mutton keema pizzas or pesto paneer bruschetta, you can be sure you’ll want more.

While you shop, do make sure to practise social distancing

Get in Touch

Bangalore
3rd floor, Vaswani Victoria, 30 Victoria Road, Bangalore – 47
Phone – 080 49110000

Mumbai
601, Sant Nivas, 14th Road Corner, Khar West, Mumbai
Email – sales@vaswanigroup.com
www.vaswanigroup.com

HELLO

 We see homes as spaces of comfort, calm and nourishment. Little did we know that the day would come
when we would all be conned to the home, owing to the Covid-19 pandemic that’s sweeping the world.
As we do our work from the comfort of our homes our heart goes out to people who don’t have homes,
and to every person out there who cannot stay home, and who needs to be out there to provide essential
services and healthcare. We are infinitely thankful to anyone who needs to step out to work, because your
job qualifies as essential. Stay safe

And for those others able to work from home – stay home and stay safe, you too. This issue of Shared Space
offers ways in which you can make your time at home restful, stress-free and productive. And while you’re
at home, summon up your inner chef and whip up not just one, but two recipes that we have for you.
We hope that we all will soon tide over this too, and while we return to the business of our usual lives, let’s
remember to take a moment’s pause and reflect on what’s essential, and what we can do without.

Stay home. Stay safe. And we’ll see you on the other side of this.

Team Vaswani.

 

FEATURE

HOMEBOUND, YET FREE

Home is the comfiest place to be: Winnie the Pooh
And now that we all are home, working from home, video-chatting with our loved ones that live far away,
ordering groceries online, let’s make sure our home is indeed the comfiest it can get to take us through these
dicult months. These tips will go a long way in making sure that your home is an oasis of calm, where the
mind is refreshed, and spirits are high.

FIRST, WORK

Carve out a workspace: If you haven’t already, carve out a dedicated workspace in a spare bedroom and set it up with a table, a comfortable chair and all your work equipment. Much, much, better than risking juice and ketchup on your company laptop. If you have kids, this is non-negotiable – it’s the only way you’ll get even a few focused hours of work in. Adhere to a schedule, while keeping it flexible. Start the day at a specific time, and be dressed for work (in what one might call “outside” clothes – no yoga pants please!) This will put you in the frame of
mind to work, and you don’t have to scramble to change if your boss wants a sudden video-conference

GO MICRO-MODULAR

You’ve set up your dream kitchen, with every appliance, some of which you use every day, and others that get a
dusting once in a few months. Put away these appliances that are not frequently used – well out of reach. Create
a micro-modular set of the basic cookware and kitchen appliances that you will regularly use, and promise yourself
that you will not touch the other stuff. The key to making this trick work is to do the dishes as you go, so that
there’s no chance of all the cookware and cutlery and pots and pans crowding up your sink.

 

CREATE A CAPSULE WARDROBE

Just like with the dishes, create a capsule wardrobe of five or six outfits that you will stick to. Saves you loads
of time and the bother of choosing an outfit every day. Wash, and wear again! Now you get why Steve Jobs
stuck to his turtlenecks, don’t you?

GET MOVING

Since even walking is limited, unless you have a private garden or large terrace, find a way to get some exercise
right here in your living room. If you work out with a trainer, ask for classes on Zoom or Skype. Gyms are giving
away free online workout sessions, as are fitness gurus. And make this a time for the whole family to work out
together. You need the dopamine to counter the blues that can set in from staying cooped up. And don’t
forget your Vitamin D supplements!

CLEAN UP, CLEAN UP, EVERYBODY DOES THEIR BIT

This might just be the time to get everyone in the family do their bit in cleaning up. Create a chore time in the
day, when everyone declutters, puts away toys and books and gadgets and sweeps, dusts or mops. Set a timer
and make it a race to the finish line! Nothing like adding some fun to mundane tasks. Make sure to set up
some time to clean some of the most contaminated surfaces in the home – switches, cell-phones, doorknobs
and bells.

 

STAY ON TOP OF PAPERWORK

If you have a home EMI, talk to your bank to clearly understand the terms of any EMI holiday or moratorium they might be offering.

KEEP GROWING

Keep learning and growing every day through this period, by reading books, listening to podcasts, learning
something new online – or even getting that ever elusive seven to eight hours of sleep every night! As Haruki
Murakami says, “And once the storm is over, you won’t remember how you made it through, how you
managed to survive. You won’t even be sure whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When
you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in. That’s what this storm’s all about

 

CORPORATE CITIZENSHIP

It was Benjamin Franklin who said: “Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” Powered by this thought, Vaswani Group collaborated with the Bangalore Traffic Police to create a space where children can learn to respect traffic rules. Not just by reading about them, but by following them, in a
child-friendly safe space. And the Bangalore Police Traffic Park for Children on St Marks Road was born.

Vaswani Group has conceived, designed, developed and will maintain the entire park, a first-of-its kind public-private initiative. The park has all the infrastructure for play that you would expect to see in a children’s park, but enter, and the difference is visible. Lanes, zebra crossings, traffic lights and billboards explaining the
traffic signals transform the park into a “live” outdoor learning space. The park also houses a library for children

 

Inaugurating the park, Sri Basavaraj Bommai, Home Minister, Govt. of Karnataka, said, “This is the first park that can be called a Traffic Police Children’s Park.” He called it ‘a space that is unique to the nation’. Talking about its significance, Mr Bhaskar Rao, Commissioner of Police, Bangalore, said, “Merely explaining traffic regulations to children in a classroom setting is not enough.” Dr B.R. Ravikantha Gowda, Joint Commissioner of Police, Traffic – Bengaluru City, said that the park would educate children and consequently make our roads safer, for both children and others. Mr Arun Advani, Joint Managing Director, Vaswani Group, described the park as a green space spread over 1 acre, with extensive landscaping.

The best testimonials, of course, came from the children! Soon enough, they were clamouring to read the signs, go through the traffic lights and the zebra crossings, and the best part: Kids are given bicycles to ride inside the park!

SPECIAL 

WAKE YOUR INNER CHEF!
Prawns Newburg

 

Ingredients

1/4 cup butter
• Chopped garlic: ¼ tbsp
• Sliced shallots: 1 tbsp
• 1 cup mushrooms – optional (sliced)
• 2½ tablespoons refined flour
• ¾ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup cream
• Optional: a dash of nutmeg
• 3 tbsp of dry sherry
• 2 beaten egg yolks
• 2 cups peeled and cooked prawns
• White pepper: to taste

Preparation

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan and add garlic, followed by shallots and mushrooms till light brown.
2. Blend the flour and seasonings into the butter. Stir for 2 minutes.
3. Gradually add milk, cream and sherry. Cook until the sauce turns to a thick sauce, and stir constantly.
4. Beat the egg yolks in a small bowl.
5. Whisk about one-third of the hot cream sauce mixture into the egg yolks. Add the egg yolk and sauce
mixture back to the saucepan and whisk to blend.
6. Cook in slow flame until the cream sauce coats the back of a spoon.
7. Add prawns and stir constantly.
8. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley or chives.
Prawns can be replaced with crab meat, shrimps or lobster cubes. White wine can be used instead of sherry.

Serve this up with buttered rice, salted puffed pastry or toasted bread, and don’t forget to post your
masterpiece on Instagram

Dalgona’s Trending!

Make the talk of the town, Dalgona coffee at home, and wow your followers!

Here’s how to make Dalgona coffee  for two:

Blend 2 tbsp of instant coffee along with 4 tbsp of powdered sugar, 4 tbsp of chilled water, and 4 tbsp of
whipped cream with the help of an electric blender, to form a rich smooth whipped paste. Add 4 ice-cubes in
two serving glasses or if you want to be fancy, crystal glasses (remember, you’ve got to wash up later!) and
pour cold milk, preferably full-cream milk, into 60% of the glass. Float the whipped mixture on the top of milk
till it seals the glasses to the brim.
Dust a pinch of coffee powder on top. Before you sip, stage and shoot!

Recipe courtesy: Shinoj Joseph, General Manager, Hotel Royal Orchid Suites – Whitefield

 

Get in Touch

Bangalore
3rd floor, Vaswani Victoria, 30 Victoria Road, Bangalore – 47
Phone – 080 49110000

Mumbai
601, Sant Nivas, 14th Road Corner, Khar West, Mumbai
Email – sales@vaswanigroup.com
www.vaswanigroup.com

Hello

It’s been close to three years that we have been bringing you Shared Space. For us, this is beyond just a newsletter.

It’s our way of letting you know that your concerns are ours. And that when we partner you in something as close to your heart as your home, we have as much skin in the game as you do.

So in this issue, we dial back to where we started, and ask: “How are things with you?” As we look around, times are getting more uncertain. If change is the only constant, then how can we help you ensure that your home remains that rock-solid foundation on which you can build your dreams? Our feature this month is on how to secure your home in times of uncertainty and financial duress, even as we wish none of us ever needs this counsel.

We also have our regular fare of useful tips to keep your home sparkling, within and without. And a special Malabar Mutton curry from our chef that will make you sit up and say, “Hello, Summer!”

As always, write in to us your thoughts, we are always listening.

Spring-time wishes,
Team Vaswani.

FEATURE

 

TAKEN? Not.

Tough times call for tough decisions, and a plan. Especially when it comes to managing your home loan.                And the best time to come up with this plan is not when crisis looms, but way in advance. After all, the only predictable thing in life is its sheer unpredictability. So have your Plan B in hand, so that in a crisis, you can rest assured that your home is safe.

Here are some pointers on how you could secure your home.

WELL-AHEAD

1. Check your terms of engagement: Your monthly EMI should not be more than 40 per cent of your net salary; if needed, opt for a longer term so that the monthly EMI is lower.
2.  Get a home loan insurance: If you’re covered, your monthly EMIs will be taken care of until you’re able to service them again.
3. Create a home loan repayment fund: Start a savings scheme to put away at least six months of home loan EMI payments, so that in a pinch, you can dig into this pot instead of into your regular savings or worse, missing payments. Put any gifts or additional earnings into this pot.
4. Get a financial advisor: It’s not just the wealthy that need financial advice. When crisis strikes, a financial advisor can help you plan your savings and manage your debt and risks. The advisor can also help you maintain your credit score

GAME ON FACE

     5 .Talk to your lender: Take your bank or housing finance company into confidence as soon as you sense that
EMI payments might be affected. They could alter the terms of the loan, by increasing the tenure and lowering
the EMI.

6. Talk to another lender: You could also explore the possibility of repaying the whole loan through another                      lender that offers better repayment terms and lower interest rates.

FIRE-FIGHTING

    7. Dig into your investments: No one likes the idea of liquidating investments that took so long to build up, but                ever heard the saying, “Live to fight another day”? Rather than miss servicing your home loan, dig into your                FDs, RDs, mutual funds, stocks and find the money.

8. Count on your tribe: Rustle up a few months of EMIs from friends and family, with a clear target and plan for              repayment, even if it’s a little farther away in the future. This support could greatly ease your mind during
emergencies.

CRUNCH TIME

9. Sell the house, before the bank does: If it becomes clear that the emergency situation is likely to continue for a            while, it’s time to grab the bull by the horns. Sell the house yourself, before the bank gets to that step. This                    increases the likelihood of you getting a good price.

10. Pick up the phone: It’s tempting to ignore all calls from the bank when pushed to the corner, but a word of                    advice: Don’t. The key is to prevent the situation from spiralling into legal hassles, and negotiate your way                    into keeping your home!

How have you secured your home loan repayments against emergencies? Write in to us!

 

COMPLETE WEEKEND EXPERIENCE

 

COME ONE & ALL – SEE YOU AT THE MALL!

Wondering what to do this weekend, but terrified of traffic? Ditch the drive and walk right over to your friendly neighborhood Brookefield Mall. It’s the one place that has something for every member of your family. The INOX experience with movies and popcorn? Check. Shop till you wanna drop? Check. A perfect dinner to end the day? Check.

Look no further for your favorite brands, whether it’s Pantaloons, Max, Lifestyle or Soch. In the mood for Chinese, or pizza and tacos for the kids? Done.

Brookefield Mall brings you the complete weekend experience, with something for everyone. And the best part? It’s right at your doorstep!

Brookefield Mall | ITPL Main Road, Whitefield | 080 41188997

 SPECIAL

GET SET FOR SUMMER Malabar Mutton Curry

As the days get colder, it’s time to get the grill out. Rustle up this simple Seekh Kebab for your friends, and watch them ask for more!

Seekh kebabs are made with minced lamb, marinated in a variety of spices, and grilled on a tandoor/oven. These kebabs are served with mint chutney and a side of onion rings and lemon wedges. A lip-smacking start to a dinner party!

 

INGREDIENTS

• Mutton, 1 kg, small curry cubes                                         • Cloves – 5
• Freshly grated coconut – 1 cup                                          • Mustard seeds – ¼ tbsp
• Red chilli powder – 3 tablespoons (tbsp)                        • Shallots ( slices) – 1 tbsp
• Ginger garlic paste – 2 tbsp                                                • Onions – 2
• Coriander powder – 2 tbsp                                                 • Cashewnut paste – 2 tbsp
• Turmeric powder – ½ tbsp                                                 • Tomato – 2
• Black pepper powder – ½ tbsp                                          • Coconut milk – 1 cup
• Cumin seeds – ¼ tbsp                                                          • Salt (to taste)
• Fennel seeds – ¼ tbsp                                                          • Curry leaves – 2 sprigs                                                                  • Coconut oil ( can be replaced with any other cooking oil) – 3 tbsp

Method

1. For preparing Malabar Mutton Curry, grind together grated coconut, red chilli powder, ginger-garlic
   paste, coriander, turmeric, black pepper, cumin, fennel, cinnamon, bay leaf and cloves into a paste.
2. Heat oil in a cooker.
3. Fry the onions well.
4. Add the spice paste, until the spices are roasted.
5. Add the mutton and stir well.
6. Add finely chopped tomatoes and cashewnut paste.
7. Add salt and 2½ cups of water.
8. Cook, until the meat is done.
9. Remove from fire and remove lid once it’s cooled.
10. Add coconut milk and simmer for another 5 minutes. Stir it in between.
11. Remove from fire.
12. Make a tadka with curry leaves and mustard seeds for garnish. You can also add a few drops of coconut milk or coconut cream for garnishing.

If your guests like their spices mild, reduce the amount of chilli and pepper powder used. Serve up the curry with Kerala parathas, ghee rice or even appams, and watch them disappear in no time!

Recipe courtesy: Chef Lokesh Gowda, Hotel Royal Orchid Suites – Whitefield

For table reservations: 080-42512345 / 9731079988

 Get in Touch

Bangalore
3rd floor, Vaswani Victoria, 30 Victoria Road, Bangalore – 47
Phone – 080 49110000

Mumbai
601, Sant Nivas, 14th Road Corner, Khar West, Mumbai
Email – sales@vaswanigroup.com
www.vaswanigroup.com