James Hadley chase has written some of the most ineresting and most exciting stories that I have ever read.
The first work of Chase that I read was Tiger by the tail.Man,what a book....it has an element of intrigue and suspense that makes u read the whole book at one go...
The one I like most is Make the corpse walk.It is about a mental degenerate who stores his brother's corpse and thinks that he can bring him back to life using vodoo. A gang of unscrupulous men offer to help the degenerate achieve the required. The degenarate has a loyal chaffeur who is determined to save his money at any cost. The chaffeur takes the help of a girl whos been dumped by her boyfriend very recently. The story is hair raising and damn interesting.

Another one I like is Shock Treatment.Its a bout a guy who kills his mistress's husband by eletrocuting him.
All the books written by him are thrillers.Each one is different from the others.
Below is a list of some very good works of Chase
Tiger by the tail
The world in my pocket
Hit and Run
In a vain shadow
No orchids for miss blandish
Shock Treatment
Mission to venice
I would rather be poor
You are dead without money
Whats better than money
The vulture is a patient bird

I have copies of all the above mentioned and more works of Chase.Aneone interested in the works can contact me at jyotimankala@gmail.com

Recipe for aloo puris

Ingredients
Wheat flour(as required)
Boiled Potatoes(4)
Salt as per taste
Chilli powder as per taste
Amchur as per taste
Garam masala
Method:
Heat some oil(1 cup) and add it to the wheat flour.Mix it well and then make dough using a little water and salt.
Mash the boiled potatoes and add salt,chilli powder,garam masala,and amchur to it.
Make small balls of the dough and press into puris.Stuff the misture into this and make puris.
Deep fry on medium flame in hot oil.

To make dhaniya chutney:
Take dhaniya,salt,2-3 chillies,and a little jaggery.
Grind in the mixer and then add tadka of jeera,mustard seeds and heeng.

Serve hot puris with dhaniya chutney.

Recipe for maggi noodles

Required
Maggi noodles-1 pack
onions-2
potatoes-4
green capsicum - 2
carrots-2
french beans-8-10
cauliflower-4-5 big florets
shredded cabbage-1/2 cup
Green peas-1 cup
Green chillies-5-6
Method
Chop onions, carrots, capsicum lengthwise. Cut 2 of the potatoes into small cubes and the remaining 2 as french fries. Fry the french fries in oil. Sprinkle salt and keep aside. Cauliflower into small florets and the french beans into fine pieces.Slit the green chillies lengthwise
Boil maggi noodles in water with the tastemaker for abt 2 mins.Drain the water through a sieve.
Heat oil to a kadhai and add jeera.Add the vegetables.Add salt,1 cup of the drained maggi water and cover with a lid till vegetables are well done.
After the vegetables are well done add the noodles and mix well.Add 1/4 cup of the drained water again and cook without a lid until all the water evaporates. Garnish with the french fries and serve hot
Cut a
Serve hot

tu jo mila by alisha chinoy

A very nice song....
Tu jo mila
chand khila
aaj naya rang chane laga
dil ne kaha
maine suna chupke se paani barasne laga
jhoom utha naya armaan
dil mera gaane laga
jaag utha naya armaan
jee mera machalne laga
dil diya hai tujhi ko phir kya hai mujhe dar
jane kyon hai fiza bhi khoyi khoyi bekhabar
naja na ja na ja aaja
jane kya hua
kyon kho gaya
dil mera sapne sajaane laga
khwab naya dekha tera
tu hi tu mujhmein samane laga

kya hai raat aur kya hai din
chain aaye nahi tere bin
raat guzari hai maine taare gin
dil diya hai tujhi ko phir kya hai mujhe dar
jaame kyon hai fiza bhi khoyi khoyi bekhabar
na ja na ja na ja aaja
phir se kali phool ban gayi
chori chori se baat ban hi gayi

Recipe for Sabudana vada

Ingredients:
Saabudana - 3 cups
Roasted groundnuts - 1 cup
Potatoes - 2 if big,3 if small
Green chillies
Salt to taste
Oil
Method
Wash the saabudana and drain excess water.Keep it aside for 4-5 hours after sprinkling a little water.
The saabudana should become soft at the end of 5 hours.
In the meantime grind the roasted groundnuts to a coarse powder.
Boil and mash the potatoes.
Mis the potatoes,groundnut powder and chopped green chillies,chopper coriander,salt to taste with the by now saabudana.
Shape it like vadas and deep fry in hot oil on medium flame.
Serve hot.

Recipe for tomato soup

This is the recipe I use to make tomato soup. Learnt the same from my mom. This takes excellent and is very filling too.
Ingredients
Ripe tomatoes 5-6
Carrots 2-3
Onions 1-2
Cardamom 2-3
Cinnamon sticks 3-4
Cloves 3-4
bay leaf 1
Black pepper(optional)
Method:
Chop the onions length wise.Peel and grate the carrots and chop the tomatoes .
Heat 3-4 tablespoons of oil in a frying pan and add the spices.Fry for 2 mins and then add the onions.
After the onions become soft and transparent add the grated carrot.Fry for 2-3 mins and then add the chopped tomatoes.
Add 3 cups of water to the pan.Add salt and cover it with a lid.After the vegetablea are well cooked put off the heat and let the mixture cool down.
After it cools grind it to a fine paste in a mixer and strain it through a sieve with fine holes(so that you donot get the pulp into the soup) to get the juice.Repeat this process until u have extracted all the juice and u r left with the pulp.
Take the juice into a vessel and add water as per requirement(if it is too thick).
Add half a spoon of sugar,salt if required and 2-3 spoons of cornflour dissolved in cold water to the soup.
Bring it to a boil.Serve hot with fresh cream and soup sticks.

Jyoti

More on Hyderabadi style

Hyderabadi autowalas constitue one rare species of living beings...a species which has its own rules of survival...Autos in Hyderabad are one mode of transport that you should experience. These vehicles are from outer space and exhibit varying characteristics. Some crawl slower than a snail, while the majority fly at high speeds. They traverse in serpentine fashions and can squeeze through spaces that are small for people to walk. They are capable of taking a sudden U turn right in the middle of the main road. As for the capacity of these autos, it is limited to imagination. Even after you think it is full, the driver can always find place for one more.The attitude of these autowalas is something you have got to see..Believe that and you will believe anything...They have absolutely no respect for their customers.And sometimes they tend to give you a feeling that they are doing a great favour to you by helping you travel.I stay in Ramanthapur and I must say that the autowallas here have the worst attitude I have ever seen.I have always had one basic question.How do I let a person know that I want to hire an auto.Do i raise my hand and stretch it out to front or do i shout to attract attention?Either ways people here take no notice.I have had experiences when I spent about half an hour shouting to attract the attention of every autowaala passing my way but no one took notice.I have always had to walk a little distance before I am able to hire an auto successfully.There is an auto stand here in ramanthapur.I have tried to hire an auto frm the stand umpteen times but the guys just arent interested.Whatever place you choose they just arent interested in going.Now about the bigger auto-rickshwas...the so called autos that run on sharing basis...the share-autos.These are never full.They might seem full to you but do not hesitate to ask the driver to stop.He will miraculously make space for you...its an entirely different issue that someone else will be sitting almost in your lap....:)However how much ever criticise I may...I like travelling by share autos...The range of people we get to see is astounding...My sister works at Uppal and travels by share autos sometimes.She says that the drivers have no respect for customers.They are just interested in fitting the maximum number pf persons possible into the auto.She once saw a woman carrying liquor in a basket in the auto and was very amused.You get to see all sorts of people in share-autos.Its real fun.Try it sometime...you'll enjoy it.How much ever I may criticise autowallas its these people I turn to when I need to know the way to some place.You just need to say "**** jana hai bhaiya.kaise jana hai?" and they draw a visual map for you...

I dont think I can ever follow trafiic rules...

I read the comment I got on the post "Terrific traffic sense of Hyderabadis".I had actually written that in a humorous mood relating one of my experiences.But after seeing the comment I thought I will try and change my traffic sense for one day.No longer will I indulge in rough driving,no longer will I cross the signals when the light is red,no side swiping...I missed my office bus(oh good I've got a chance to test the seriousness of my resolution :-D).I started my scooty and wore the helmet and set out with full enthusiasm.(I can do it ...I told myself)I started stopping at every traffic signal when the light went red.People kept driving past me but I was undeterred.It was damn hot and so I decided to take a shortcut, which passes through a barrier, meant to serve as a railway crossing. As I approached the crossing I noticed that the gates were closed to allow a train to pass.(Oh no I thought. Does it happen everyday or is it because I have decided to stop at the signals that every damn signal light shows red?)Just for someone who doesn’t know what a crossing is:If you wish to cross the barrier when the signal shows red you need to bend down so you can walk under the gates (just two poles held horizontally above the ground at a distance from each other).The wait started.... I noticed that people getting restless. I started thinking as to how difficult it must be for the authorities to control traffic when citizens (nice word!) don’t cooperate. It was scorching hot and I was not wearing my driving gloves...oh god I thought my hands will get tanned :-(.Slowly people started bending under the barrier and crossing the gate. Some people as usual taking their bikes also by bending the bike also.How irresponsible these people are (neither are they responsible for the traffic nor for their own life)...I thought. Even if the authorities enforce strict rules who the hell follows them (except dutiful people like me)?Come what may I will never do the same I told myself.The train arrived and went past the crossing. I started my scooty and stood waiting again for the guard to open the gates.But then the best part ...the guy was not doing it. I then realized that there would be another train coming this way (oh nooo mere ache behavior ki itni badi sazaa).The wait continued.I watched people very conveniently crossing the barrier.Except vehicles which couldnt not be bent or ppl who were scared to risk their life ,all the others like cycles,scooters,motorcycles,rickshaws were being taken across the barrier by the riders.My patience then came to an end and I thought of taking a U-turn and going some other way.But the road was blocked with traffic and I couldn’t turn back.I then understood why people behave this way.A person is made to wait for half an hour at a signal coz there are two trains scheduled to arrive the second one arriving twenty minutes after the first one.The guard could have allowed traffic to flow for 10 minutes after the departure of the first train and then closed the gates to allow the second train but ...the guy didnt open the gates for half an hour ...not until both the trains passed through.I understood why people crossed the barrier that way.Not everyone can afford to wait for half an hour at the signals.The way the traffic controllers behaved was the reason for making the people behave irresposibly.I waited for half an hour to cross one signal.I did my part by following the rule and not breaking the signal but what difference did that make.I made no valid point by doing all that.The people who were crossing the signal at red had a valid reason.The next train was not due until 20 minutes later but the controller was not allowing them to pass.Everyone would have thought of me as someone who was not in a hurry to go anywhere.I was in fact wasting valuable time standing there.The same happens at traffic signals.The khairatabad flyover is one place where people wait for hours sometimes.Any person who cannot afford to wait would opt to break the signal.I am at a loss of ideas as to how a person is supposed to behave in situations like this.Do I join others and do what everyone else is doing or do I cooperate with the authorities (which would make me waste my time and energy most if the times)?Please post your comments on this one.Let me know what you think should be done.

The terrific traffic sense of hyderabadis

Look to the left first and only then to the right, then search for the path of least resistance, lift your hands in both directions asking the oncoming vehicles to stop and then cross the road. Repeat the process in the middle of the road. Never get frightened or lose heart or focus anywhere midway, most important thing, don't care about the vehicles coming towards you, absolutely nothing will happen to you.This is the traffic sense of an average hyderabadi.I am also an average hyderabadi and I thought it will a good reading for people who need to know how to behave when u come to Hyderabad.Every person feels like he is the king of the road and royally crosses the road according to his/her wish/convenience oblivious to the traffic lights and horns.If you are driving a two wheeler and a pedestrian asks you to stop because he wants to cross the road and you refuse to do so,then be prepared to face a volley of acrid words hurled at you though the traffic lights indicate that pedestrians need to wait.There are no rules for crossing the road here.You cross the road when you finish conversing on your mobile phone or for that matter whenever you actually feel like doing so.Fortunately there are people who wait till the road is atleast a little deserted before crossing the road.Every one honks...a person riding a bicycle and a person driving a car honk equally and very vehemently.I had one experience recently at the narayanaguda flyover.I stopped at the traffic lights at red and was watching the timer.A guy on a bike was also waiting for the signal to change.We were waiting in the, say, fifth row and there were many vehicles waiting in front of us and behind us.Suddenly the guy decided that intersecting roads were clear enough for him to drive away.He broke the signal and drove away suddenly making me jump out of my skin.Two or three people followed suit and drove away too.The others kept waiting.I was watching the timer.15 14 13 12 11and then the honking started.Almost all the vehicles waiting behing me started honking.I was confused for a second.Was I seeeing it wrong?But no... the timer still showed 9...but people were honking furiously and even shouting at me to start driving.On public request I drove away while the timer still displayed 8 seconds.Out of curiosity I stole a glance at the traffic policeman.He was standing at the intersection checking the license of some poor guy arguing with him.I laughed at the poor guy's plight and continued on my way.Now I know the way to behave.You can to start driving anytime after the timer reaches 10 not when the lights turn green.One more amusing characteristic of Hyderabadi style of driving is that you can traverse vertically,horizontally and diagonally on the roads.I see people who suddenly appear out of nowhere drive from the left end to the right end without putting the indicator on(dikh to raha hai na samne wala kahan ja raha hai is the explanation they have to give about it) and if I go and hit them they look at me with all the irritation in this world showing on their faces and say "kahan dekh rahi ho?dikhta nahi hai kya?"Some even say"ye ooramma manadi" meaning which village are you from to emphasize the point that I donot know how to drive.I inwardly think that I can see but how will you know if a person who is in front of you suddenly decides to end his vertical traversal and shifts to diagonal traversing.It doesnt happen this way in my village..:D

I miss my childhood

I miss my childhood
I miss the summer afternoons spent with mom playing around our guava tree.
I miss the summer evenings spent with dad watering the terrace.
I miss the warm water baths mom used to give me when I used to get drenched in the rain
I miss the evening walks dad used to take me on when I used to tell him all that happened during the day.
I miss the nights I used to spend reading comics hiding them in a textbook
I miss the excitement I used to feel in anticipation of the long awaited summer holidays.
I miss the warm water baths mom used to give after I got wet in the rain
I miss the time I spent with dad and my sister watching movies and wondering how he was able to understand the dialogues.
I miss the Sunday morning cartoon shows I and my sister used to watch together.
I miss the evenings I used to wait for dad at the bus stop just to tell him that I scored the highest marks in maths.
I miss the hugs mom used to give me when I used to stand first in my class.
I miss the punishments I used to get when I used to forgot the assignments.
I miss the evenings I used to spent on the terrace lying down and watching the clouds.
I miss the moments spent with my sister chatting about nothing in particular.
I miss the scent of the incense sticks that mom used to light when she prayed to god.
I miss the nights when dad used to carry me upstairs when I used to fall asleep on the settee.
I miss my childhood