The Ant Blog

Episode 4:  Deleted Pasts, Tim Howard Saves and Christ the Savior: History Lessons in Salvador Watching the Belgium vs USA match in Salvador was a slightly awkward experience. More than two thirds of the stadium was there to cheer for a Soccer team, while everybody else was watching a football match. It was a foregone conclusion that the “Football” team or Équipe de football, to be precise, would beat the “Soccer” one. But for a short while it seemed that there was nothing that Tim Howard, the brave American goalkeeper, could not save. (as illustrated in the adjoining image) Exhilaration at watching your last world cup football match in Brasil paired with a strange sense of unease that neither team playing deserves a place beyond the round, for various reasons. In retrospect that could sum up the entire Salvador experience. Something exhilaratingly beautiful and incredibly exotic, that you  wouldn't  trade for anything else, paired with that itch in the g...

This recipe is inspired by one of my fave celebrity Chefs.. Nigella L . I just love the way she weaves a story of her culinary trails. So this is a very simple yet delicious dish. She also adds a dressing in the end, which I have skipped here, because I love the Aubergine roast flavor playing the hero in this dish. Halve the baby aubergines, keeping the stalks intact to heighten their beauty! Dunk them, face upwards on a baking tray, add salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder (optional), sugar, chili flakes, and finely chopped garlic cloves. Add about 2-3 Tablespoons of Olive oil on this. Now turn the aubergines, face downwards, and swish them around so that the spices and garlic pieces mix and mingle and lodge themselves on the aubergine. Now pre-heat the oven for a good 8 mins, before putting this tray in for another 15 mins. Rest for another 1 min, and then serve hot.              Baby Aubergines marinated Ingredients for Baby Auberg...