A Babbling Booktrovert

Arbi... one of the humble vegetables, I loved eating it, but never dared to cook it. Reason was simple - the whole exercise of washing them, drying them, peeling them and cutting them like my mom, was too much of a task - it was time consuming and difficult.  But then, I learnt a new way of cooking this humble vegetable post marriage from my mum-in-law. Not only, it was the easiest recipe but at the same time, it was even more delicious - made using most basic of ingredients. Here's my mum-in-laws super simple recipe... Difficulty Level : ☆ ☆ Time Required :            Preparation -  30 minutes           Cooking - 30 minutes INGREDIENTS: Arbi  500 gms Oil  2 and 1/2 tbsp Ajwain  1/2 tsp Asafoetida (Hing)  1/4 tsp Salt  To Taste (I used 1 and 1/2 tsp) Red Chili Powder  1/2 tsp Haldi  1/4 tsp Dhaniya Powder  1 tsp Coriander  for garnishing PROCEDURE: 1. Boil arbi. Let it cool and peel the arbi (this is the most easiest way of pe

So I thought, I will shed some more light on the reading challenges I have undertaken for the year. Like I mentioned in my previous nerdy talk post that I have taken up 3 challenges which are sort of interrelated in the sense that one challenge complements another and so they sort of overlap each other - let me discuss them in detail... Goodreads Challenge : 40 books | current status : 3/40 It's s simple challenge, where you just set a target to read a certain number of books in the given year. Last year I had set myself to read 30 books, I managed 43. This year I have decided on 40 books which coincides with my PopSugar Reading Challenge. The picture on the right is my summary from Goodreads for the year 2015 ---> PopSugar Reading Challenge : 40+1 books | current status : 2/41 This is the first time I have taken up a challenge like this. Basically PopSugar has provided with 40 different categories without specifying the book, which you are supposed to cov

Imagine yourself, facing problems in every direction you turn... What would you do? Most people turn to God and ask him - 'Why Me?' But then, God never answers... not directly at least. He does drop in hints which we fail to see... And thus we continue questioning his motives... This poem is about those endless questions we ask him... But then, do answer yourselves after reading the poem, whether you still have the faith in him? Whether you still trust him? Whenever I am happy You leave me all sad... I ask you... why? Whenever I dream You wake me up... I ask you... why? Whenever I smile You leave tears behind... I ask you... why? Whenever I decide You leave me all confused... I ask you... why? Whenever I am ready to choose You take the options away... I ask you... why? Whenever I try to mingle You leave me all alone... I ask you... why? Whenever I see rosebuds You show m

Book Title : The Girl In The Spider's Web Author : David Lagercrantz Genre : Crime (Murder) Mystery / Suspense Thriller ISBN : 9780857053503 Publisher : Maclehose Press Publication : 2015 Pages : 437 Binding : Paperback PopSugar Reading Challenge 2016 : 1/(40+1)《a book translated to English》 Goodreads Challenge : 1/40 Plot : Lisbeth Salander and Mikael Blomkvist return She is the girl with the dragon tattoo - a genius hacker and uncompromising misfit. He is a crusading journalist whose championing of the truth often brings him to the brink of prosecution. Late one night, Blomkvist receives a phone call from a source claiming to have information vital to the United States. The source has been in contact with a young female superhacker - a hacker resembling someone Blomkvist knows all too well. The implications are staggering. Blomkvist, in desperate need of a scoop for Millennium, turns to Salander for help. She, as usual, has her own

Yes, yes I know, we are already 10 days into the new year and it's probably too late to be talking new year wishes and resolutions - but hey, never too late than never. So on this note, let's get on with the post, shall we... Another year has gone by and I had tons to be thankful about in the year gone by - but about that in a different post; because this post I want to dedicate to saying my thanks to the #Bookstagram community on instagram. It is only by chance, that I discovered this community but it helped me combine a multitude of things I love which is definitely worth thanking for. Thus with a big thank you to everyone in the community I wish everyone a very happy and prosperous new year. And like every year, this year too has brought with it some 'new year resolutions' but a bit different than all the previous years. In the past, the resolutions have been broken and the excuse given is that resolutions are meant to be broken. And then each year, last re

Book Title : The Girl On The Train Author : Paula Hawkins Genre : Murder Mystery ISBN : 9780857522320 Publisher : Random House Publication  Publication : 2015 Pages : 324 Binding : Paperback PopSugar Reading Challenge 2016 : 2/(40+1)《a murder mystery-》 Goodreads 2016 Reading Challenge : 2/40 Plot : Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning. Every day she rattles down the track, flashes past a stretch of cozy suburban homes, and stops at the signal that allows her to daily watch the same couple breakfasting on their deck. She’s even started to feel like she knows them. “Jess and Jason,” she calls them. Their life—as she sees it—is perfect. Not unlike the life she recently lost.  And then she sees something shocking. It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but it’s enough. Now everything’s changed. Unable to keep it to herself, Rachel offers what she knows to the police, and becomes inextricably entwined in what happens next, as well

Book Title : Something Happened On The Way To Heaven Edited By : Sudha Murty Genre : Anthology ISBN : 9780143423928 Publisher : Penguin Publishing Group Publication : 2014 Pages : 201 Binding : Paperback About The Book : The inspiring true stories of the interesting people who inhabit the pages of Sudha Murtys books leave an indelible impression on us. But the books are able to chronicle the stories of only the men and women Mrs. Murty has actually come across herself in the course of her social work. There must be so many more wonderful stories that many others have to share. Something Happened on the Way to Heaven is a collection of twenty such memorable true life stories. Handpicked by Sudha Murty from a contest run by Penguin, they capture the hope, faith, kindness and joy that life is full of, even as we make our way through the daily grind. Moving and uplifting, this is an anthology that will engross and delight every reader who believes in the goodness of

Book Title : The Fountainhead Author : Ayn Rand Genre : Psychological Novel ISBN : 9781101990896 Publisher : Penguin Publishing Group Publication :  Pages : 720 Binding : Paperback Plot : The Fountainhead '​s protagonist, Howard Roark, is an  individualistic  young architect who chooses to struggle in obscurity rather than compromise his artistic and personal vision. The book follows his battle to practice what the public sees as modern architecture, which he believes to be superior, despite an establishment centered on tradition-worship. How others in the novel relate to Roark demonstrates Rand's various archetypes of human character, all of which are variants between Roark, the author's ideal man of independence and integrity, and what she described as the "second-handers". The complex relationships between Roark and the various kinds of individuals who assist or hinder his progress, or both, allow the novel to be at once a romantic dram