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Nothing gives us more joy than blogging about our travels. Our food adventures, experiences with new people and spreading the word about the wonderful organizations we work with. But what’s almost as satisfying is knowing that you’re out there- all of you on the world wide web- reading our stories and appreciating the work we do.

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Would you like some jam with your cheese?

Continuing with our obsession with food, we bring you an in-depth look at our second favorite Gujarati snack. Compared to the light and healthy Khakra, this one will have you dashing to a dietician full of guilt!

The tasty treat we speak of is the Dabeli. The Gujarati cousin of Mumbai’s famed Vada pav, the Dabeli is deceptively simple looking. It structurally looks like an Indian burger with fried-potato sprinkles on top. But one bite is enough to tell you that inside lies a tantalizing combination of complex flavors and textures. The taste explodes in your mouth and brings you to salivation so you just want to take bite after bite after bite. It is sweet yet with a spicy kick. It is smooth but with a surprising crunch or two. It is chewy and buttery and melts in your mouth.

We had our first Dabeli experience at Ahmedabad’s Municipal Market- a busy stretch of food stalls along one of the main roads. Known as the Chaat Center of Ahmedabad, it is a popular hang out spot for locals. We had a sweet and satisfying experience, wolfing down two Dabelis followed by a swig of piping hot masala chai. We enjoyed this newfound culinary experience so much, that we looked out for Dabeli stands everywhere we went. Ultimately, it was an insider tip that led us to the holy grail of Dabelis. Literally a hole in the wall, this Dabeli stand had just enough space for a single stove, tiny cups of chopped ingredients and the not-so-tiny Dabeli maker.

The view across the street

The (not so hygienic) hole in the wall

After an exceptionally good standard Dabeli we ordered another and hovered over him to watch the fascinating process of making one. We watched him deftly dip his left hand into the various containers and flick small quantities of coconut, pomegranate, peanuts and onions into a hot pan where he was mashing potatoes into a paste with his right hand. While we were waiting, he politely asked us if we would like to try another speciality and due the adventurous mood we were in, we readily agreed. He grabbed two slices of white bread and on one he slathered an inch-thick layer butter and the same amount of pineapple jam. Over this he grated a giant block of cheese till the soft curls piled up about 3 inches high. After this he balanced the second slice on top and sprinkled on some salt and pepper (yes pepper!) and served it with a flourish.

The cheese-jam procedure

We bit into cheese-jam tentatively but soon realized that our trepidation was completely unnecessary as this was probably one of the grossest and yummiest things we had every eaten (this coveted position was soon grabbed by a cadbury chocolate and cheese sandwich we had the next day!). We felt like little kids, catching falling bits of cheese with our tongue and smiling between gleefully between gooey mouthfuls of cheese and jam. Seeing the bliss on our jam-smeared faces, our innovative Dabeliwala concocted a cheese-jam Dabeli specially for us. This however, did not go down too well. Perhaps we were too full, perhaps it was just a step too far but we think it should remain the first and last of it’s kind!

The Cheese ‘n’ Jam Dabeli Monster

If you don’t know where you can get your hands on a Dabeli to try your own special combinations, fear not! We have found a fabulous blog with a recipe to prepare this dish to our exact liking. We hope you try it, like it and do let us know what toppings you were daring enough to experiment with.

The Khakra Chronicles

Those of you following us on facebook (and if you’re not click here and like us asap!) will know that we just returned from a whirlwind trip to Ahmedabad. This was no mini-break but strictly a business trip with back to back meetings all related to the production of our new collection. Although it may be a while before we release a sneak-peek, we are already super excited about what we think is our most fun and innovative collection yet.

For the uninitiated, Ahmedabad in May is hot hot hot and running around during the day is an exceptionally draining experience. But if there’s one redeeming factor, it’s the snack food. Available at almost every street corner, these neat eats are the ideal picker-upper in between meetings. Although there are too many to catalogue in one post, we thought we’d pick our favorite of this trip to share with you.

Induben Khakrawala

To miss our first food stop would have been punishable by death and dismemberment back home. It was the world famous “Induben Khakrawala”, established in 1955. Indu being the name of the lady who started it all, ben or sister added respectfully, Khakra a gujarati snack and wala of course loosely meaning person. The Khakra is a an indispensable component of the Gujarati diet. Students studying abroad and families traveling on holiday ensure that a substantial stock of khakras is included in their luggage to battle the terrors of inedible, non-vegetarian foreign food. In essence a paper thin disc of roasted wheat-dough, the modern Khakra is available in a variety of avatars. When we asked to be taken to Induben, we were about to discover just how many!

The Storefront

Khakra

Even in the world of Khakras, there is tough competition and numerous Induben clones have popped-up across the city with huge billboards, websites and claims of being the one-and-only (please note that the original has no website and/or email address). But we were lucky enough to find the original with the help of our taxi driver- a resident of Ahmedabad since the past 30 years. An unremarkable storefront with an indecipherable sign, Induben Khakrawala is very understated. But once inside, you are greeted by a rush of activity and wave upon wave of sweet and spicy smells. Patrons line up in four queues and clamber up to the tiny counter where they have a limited amount of time to order their favorite khakras. There’s tomato, fenugreek and coriander to choose from amongst the more exotic pani puri and pav bhaji flavor varieties. We quickly collected our goods and were bustled out the door with no movement of our own accord.

Choices Choices

 

The look of vindication on the faces of friends and family, who had finally received their khakras after four trips to Ahmedabad, was well worth the effort. As was the experience of one of Ahmedabad’s oldest snack institutions. And in case you were wondering, we got the masala, pani puri, pav bhaji and chana jor garam flavors and they were all delicious!

 

Pani puri flavor- tangy and spicy- our personal favorite!

The natural way to cool down as the weather heats up

It’s beginning to look (and feel) a lot like summer! In Mumbai, summer is a 5-month long period of intense heat and humidity that has all of us praying for precipitation. Of course once the monsoon arrives we’ll curse that too and impatiently wait for it to go away. But right now, we’d do anything for a little respite from the overwhelming warmth. It’s not possible to remain house-bound in a safe cocoon of air-conditioning, and neither is it very eco-friendly or cost effective. So we rounded up the very best of natural ways to beat the heat. Some are oldies but goodies, others are tried and tested methods and some are ancient secrets passed down through generations.

 

 

1.Dress cool: This one’s a no-brainer. It’s time to pack away your pullovers and polyesters and stock-up on light and natural fabrics, like cotton. And when it comes to cotton, it’s always better to go organic. Organic cotton is softer on your skin and breathes better, preventing heat rashes and sweaty messes! Even better is clothing colored with natural dyes as they are actually good for your skin and don’t start behaving badly when hot, like some chemical dyes tend to do.

 

 

2.Live cool: Our favorite tip of the lot has loads of benefits. Most households use standard bulbs which generate a lot of heat, but Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs release less than half of that. CFLs also save on energy and are more environment friendly. Another thing to keep in mind is that all appliances release heat (like your T.V.s, phone chargers, computers) so it’s best to turn them off completely (yes, even the main switch at the back) when not in use. This will make the planet happy as you’re saving electricity, it will make you happy as you’re electric bills will go down and it will make your air-conditioning more effective.

 

 

3.Eat cool: There are yin (cooling) and yang (heaty) foods. Food like cucumbers, bitter gourd, mung beans and watermelon keep the internal environment in your body cool. Drinks like lemonade, buttermilk, barley water and drinks with cumin powder are extremely cooling, tasty and replenish lost electrolytes. Here’s a more comprehensive list that can help you choose the right kind of foods to tackle the summer.

 

 

4.Practice cool: For those who’ve tried Yoga, we are sure you agree that it is an essential part of healthy living. Training your breath and body can even help keep you cool. For those familiar with yoga we found some wonderful cooling postures (do exercise caution while doing these) along with explanations of how they work. For beginners, cooling breathing exercises can also go a long way in keeping your body temperature low, relieving stress and detoxing.

 

 

5.Be cool: Probably the most important of all is to keep a cool head! It’s definitely hard to do in a city like Mumbai, what with all the crazy driving, copious crowds and general chaos that is daily life here, but overcoming it all and finding your inner peace is the key to ensuring that you don’t blow your top. One trick that we find helpful is to take a breather, close your eyes and picture a gently flowing stream; and all the annoyances and irritations are flowing away with it. Try not to let things get to you and enjoy for after all, tis the season for frozen yoghurt, water parks and summer vacation!

Bandwallahs: A Biography

By now you’ve all heard of the Bandwallahs, some of you might have even seem them around and the lucky ones have these super comfy organic cotton pyjamas hanging in your (kids) closets. But where do the Bandwallahs come from? What’s their story? And how did they end up at our doorstep? Today we answer all these burning questions and more, so that you can get to know them a little better.

Popat Patel

The one who started it all, Popat Patel the parakeet used to enjoy singing in the trees in his home-state of Gujarat. He loved nothing better than to spend his days flitting from branch to branch, singing the latest Bollywood numbers. Passers-by would applaud his talent and soon the trees he frequented became popular gathering places for those wanting to lounge in the shade and listen to merry melodies. Unfortunately fame comes with a price and it was not long before he was caged and sold to the highest bidder. Popat stopped singing and refused to do so till he was set free. His persistence payed off and he was released much to the joy of his many fans. Popat decided to use his fame for a good cause and set off on a journey across the country to put together a band that would help him spread the message of freedom, peace, love and joy.

Bandar Baba

Bandar was a spiritual soul who traveled across the north-eastern parts of India looking for idyllic locations where he could sit and meditate at the foot of the mighty Himalayas. He would spend long hours scouting for the perfect tree under which he could practice his yoga. As time passed, he started to notice that his favorite trees were harder and harder to come by, as was tranquility. Thinking that he had to do something, he bought a drum and walked into the nearest town and started beating it to get everyones attention. When people gathered around to see what the matter was, he began to tell them about the evils of mistreating nature and taught them ways to live a more holistic life. Hearing the rhythmic beating of the drums, Popat, who was flying overhead, stopped to listen and immediately asked him to join his band.

Oonth Singh

Oonth Singh was head of the Royal camels at the Palace of the Maharaja of Jodhpur. He always held his head high above others (literally) and proudly strolled down the streets of the blue city. The favorite part of his job was leading the caravan into the desert for a safari. Days were spent preparing for these trips and sometimes he was lucky enough to be taken to far off National Parks like Ranthambore and Sariska, where he would get to meet his other regal friends like the tigers and sambar deer. On one such visit he was troubled to hear that many of his friends had been going missing. He was told about the horrors of poaching and the illegal trade in animal parts and it saddened him deeply. When he returned to Jodhpur, he strummed his sitar and sung songs for the friends he had lost. Bandar Baba, who was perched atop the highest tower in the palace (performing a highly complicated yoga asana) was touched by the song and invited him to be a part of the Bandwallahs.

Haathi Rani

The lush green jungle of Kerala, at the southern-most tip of India is the place Haathi Rani calls home. For many years she was as happy as an elephant could be- fresh bananas at every meal, baths under a refreshing waterfall and the kindest human neighbors who always offered a friendly wave when they walked through the forest. The people lived in harmony with the jungle, sustainably sourcing fibre from the banana trees to make bags and boxes, collecting coconuts for local crafts and fishing in the backwater streams. They lived in peace with all the creatures and passed on their knowledge of the the natural world to their children and grand-children. When the Bandwallahs met Haathi Rani, she was taking a leisurely stroll, trumpeting a happy tune through her trunk. They were so taken by her beauty that they asked if she could play the shehnai for their band. Although she was sad to leave her home, she knew that traveling across the country and sharing what she knew about sustainable living was a more meaningful thing to do.

So that’s the story of how the Bandwallahs came to be. Each inspiring a more wholesome way of life, they celebrate the joy of living naturally with their happy song and dance. You too can share in their philosophy by bringing home the Bandwallah organic cotton pyjamas and taking a step towards living organically and supporting sustainable and eco-friendly lifestyles!

Mother’s Day Magic

Although we should really be celebrating Mother’s Day every day of the year, us lazy kids have decided to put all our efforts into one single day -the second sunday of every May- this year falling on Sunday the 13th. What could we possibly do in 24 hours that would adequately express our gratitude to our incomparable healers of boo-boos, magicians of mundane cuisine and queens of the cuddliest hugs? Not nearly enough, but we can still try!

To make it slightly easier for you, we’ve hand-picked a selection of our mom-friendliest products that are sure to put a smile on her face. Of course these gifts are best as part of a healthy schedule of brunch, spa, flowers and pampering! but that’s not all. Apart from being delivered beautifully wrapped by hand, as an extra special Mother’s Day treat, all these products come with a surprise gift chosen just for mom.

You can place an order for your Mother’s Day present at our SHOP on www.fortyredbangles.com (just mention that it’s a gift for mum in the extra information space!) or email us at info@fortyredbangles.com.

Calming Candles

Our exquisite candles come in four signature fragrance blends that will calm, soothe, invigorate and enhance positivity.

Across the Pondicherry Candle
(Cardamom-Bergamot-Ylang Ylang)
Large 500gm Rs.900/-
Medium 230gm Rs.500/-

Mogra high in Mumbai Candle
(Mogra-Fennel-Vanilla)
Large 500gm Rs.900/-
Medium 230gm Rs.500/-

Orange you glad you’re in Hyderabad Candle
(Coriander-Mandarin-Jasmine)
Large 500gm Rs.900/-
Medium 230gm Rs.500/-

Sand me to Jodhpur Candle
(Grapefruit-Black Pepper-Gingergrass)
Large 500gm Rs.900/-
Medium 230gm Rs.500/-

From India with Love set of four candles
Small 125gm x 4= 500 gm
Rs.1000/-

Sparkling Jewellery

The “From India with Love” jewellery collection is handcrafted from vintage saris carefully brought all the way from Jodhpur. Each piece sparkles and shines and is sure to make mum feel like a queen!

Banjaran Crochet Necklace
Rs.8000/-

Mina Vintage Sari Necklace
Rs. 4800/-

Mala Thread-work Necklace
Rs. 3200/-

Gehna Medium Chandelier Earrings
Rs.2400/-

Gauhar Small Chandelier Earrings
Rs.2400/-

Top Left: Gehna Medium Chandelier Earrings
Rs.2400/-
Middle Right: Gauhar Small Chandelier Earrings
Rs.2400/-
Bottom Left: Pushpa Stud Earrings
Rs.750/-

Super-soft Pyjamas

Originally best-sellers for kids,  our super-soft and comfy organic cotton pyjamas now come in mum sizes too! Choose from three pleasing prints and let your mum lounge in style!

Gulabi
Pink lotus print top with stone embellishment
Light pink pyjama bottoms with roll-up tab
Available in sizes Small, Medium and Large
Rs.1900/-

Neela
Blue floral print top with stone embellishment
Blue pyjama bottoms with roll-up tab
Available in sizes Small, Medium and Large
Rs.1900/-

Backstage Pass

It’s the most coveted piece of memorabilia at any music show. That elusive laminated piece of paper to hang around your neck that tells the world that you’re on the “inside”. At Forty Red Bangles, we believe in exclusivity (we are all about sustainable luxury after all) but we also believe that that exclusivity should be extended to our family and friends. That’s why we’re giving you an all access backstage pass to the hottest group around- The Bandwallahs!

The Bandwallahs first arrived in Mumbai early this January and their presence was kept a secret until their big launch last month. This awesome foursome has since taken the city by storm, generating excited shrieks from fans at Bombay Electric in Colaba. They are now also internet sensations at Shop InOnIt and Shopo. Their cool, organic vibe and herbal colors have convinced even the most hardcore of fashionistas to go all-natural.

Their first taste of fame was on a sunny Saturday afternoon at our scheduled photoshoot. With an unbelievably cute crew of co-stars, we had a blast shooting the Bandwallahs in all their glory! Of course it’s never easy working with kids, but we had an exceptional bunch of them and a wonderful photographer who helped us capture them at their enthusiastic best. Fun in the sun, chasing after balloons and wrapping in just a couple of hours to an awaiting buffet of piping hot pizza and ice cold juice- is it any wonder that we love our job!

Before we introduce you to each of the charismatic Bandwallahs individually (in our next post!), here’s a look at what went down behind the scenes at the shoot…

Monkeying around!

Model in the making

Baby look at the camera! Various tricks, sounds and gestures were used..

But it worked!

Making friends

Maybe this angle works better?

One last balloon fight...

And we're done!

 

We’d like to give a special shout out to all the lovely mammas, papas and kiddies for being there for us! We couldn’t have done it without you and we’re so happy have you as a part of the FRB family!