Herbal Juice Seller

#onlyinindia #azadikaamritmahotsav

Outside most joggers parks (at least in Pune and Mumbai) you will see a herbal juice vendor just outside the gate and health conscious morning walkers and joggers gulping down shots of fresh herbal juice. The varieties range from turmeric ginger shots to Kokum, ashgourd, Wheatgrass, jamun, bittergourd, beet-carrot, etc. This seller said he makes the juices daily between 3 to 3.30 in the morning and his stock is sold by 9.30 am. I had a shot of beet carrot juice and kokum, a sour fruit native to India and both were delicious.

Panipuri Walla

#onlyinindia #azadikaamritmahotsav

Well, how does one describe the top ranked Indian street food, pani puri, to someone who has never eaten it. Let me give it a try! Think crisp, hollow, deep fried balls filled with a medley of flavors and textures ranging from the sweet and sour of tamarind and dates chutney, to the minty and hot, mint-coriander-green chily chutney to mashed potatoes and boiled chickpeas and some fried pearl sized balls of gram flour for that crunch. The pani puri walla serves you this 'well rounded' snack one by one on a small plate and you have to put the entire ball into your mouth and have the flavors explode within to relish it.

This set up of the pani puri is the original one, with the mobile stand that can be set up anywhere. On the metal disc placed on top are stacks of the fried hollow balls called 'puri' and the various garnishes and chutneys in different pots.

In fancy restaurants, you get the likes of vodka pani puri or cola pani puri, but try out the original version when you get a chance to.

Gulmohar Flowers

Such lovely weather here in Pune. Went for an early morning ride on the scooter with the wind on my face and the beautiful sight of the fiery Gulmohar blossoms that light up the skyline in summer. Returned to have some delicious, fresh bread baked by my husband and sketched these flowers sipping my filter coffee. Such a beautiful day and it's just getting started.

PS: I had promised myself not to start a new sketchbook till I complete the current one, but well, promises are meant to be broken this is the 220 gsm A5 sketchbook from Pune Handmade Papers