14112024-LSTC-01.qxd 11/13/2024 8:20 PM Page 1 c m y b VICKY AS PARASHURAMA Film producer Dinesh Vijan and director Amar Kaushik are set to raise the bar once again with the announcement of their magnum opus, Mahavatar, which will feature Vicky Kaushal as the legendary warrior sage Chiranjeevi Parashurama. TRIBUNE Life Kishore fan Bollywood heartthrob Sidharth Malhotra has revealed that he plays songs by the legendary singer Kishore Kumar when he is in the car and that they instantly energise him. LUDHIANA | THURSDAY | 14 NOVEMBER 2024 PHOTO: PRADEEP TEWARI Bonding over bok choy Parbina Rashid I T’s amazing how a bowl of hot Pho Ga can help two people bond. A Vietnamese chef and a North-East Indian foodie comparing notes while placed in the Punjabi heartland! Call it a kitchen date, if you may, where Chef Duy gets to cook his national dish at JW Marriott’s oriental restaurant kitchen and I get to be his first taster on Indian soil. The anxiety of cooking in a foreign land is palpable. He is just one-day-old in the city, his experience with Indian food is limited to just aloo gobhi-naan and aloo parantha. Before boarding the flight, he had a menu for the food festival at Marriott, Chandigarh, in place, but his plan goes topsy-turvy as he is told — ‘beef is a complete no-no’. “We even beep that ‘B’ word,” I told him. He looks crestfallen, having to replace his star ingredient with chicken. “This is my first visit to India. Hence the mistake,” he says. That, however, is not the only ‘mistake’ I spot as I watch him prepare his dish, Pho Ga, which is the chicken variety of the original Pho. He starts with the stock by boiling chicken and infusing flavours of coriander, onion, ginger, cabbage, radish and baby corn into it. Chef Duy had sipped all his ingredients in advance to retain the authentic taste. Next, he boils the rice noodles and lets it sit for a couple of minutes in cold water. After what seems like an agonising wait, he finally prepares the bowl. Puts the noodles, adds some stock, some diced chicken, puts blanched bok choy, mushrooms, coriander A meeting with Chef Duy, who is in Chandigarh to curate a food festival, turns out to be an education on the subtle flavour and egalitarianism that Vietnam’s popular dish Pho Ga stands for and lemon leaves. He keeps it simple, a fussfree comfort bowl. Too simple if compared to his Indian counterpart, Chef Tenzin’s version. The Indian chef uses star anise, cardamom, cinnamon stick and clove for the stock, adds Tibetan butter for richness and sprinkles dried red chillies for a bit of heat. He serves his bowl with bean sprouts, chilli slices, lime wedges and fried onion. That’s the dish which is more likely to find favour with the city gentry. This bit of wisdom comes from personal experience. I have lost count how many times my bamboo shoot-fish-rice combo took the beatings from rajmah-chawal and my punch-phoran tempered daal bowed to its tadka-enriched Punjabi version! Here, simplicity is fine as long as it’s part of living room conversations, not on the dining table. Chef Duy’s defence lies in celebrated poet Tu Mo’s poem, An Ode to Pho. Tu Mo captured the subtle flavour of the soup and its egalitarianism in his verses. To him, it is a dish loved by both the rich and the poor. “I know Indian palate runs towards rich, spicy food, and, yes, I am willing to incorporate the Indian sensibilities in my cooking, but only to a certain extent. I can’t take the Vietnamese essence out of my dishes because I represent my country here,” he says. Despite his heavily accented English, there is no mistaking the resolute spirit. I empathise. For, it’s not just another oriental dish. It’s Pho. Vietnam’s national dish. Pho was listed at number 28 on World’s 50 most delicious foods, compiled by CNN Go in 2011. Before that, the word Pho was added to the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary in 2007. There are many versions about the history regarding the origin of Pho and the most popular version says it began at the end of the 19th century, at the peak of French colonialism. In all likelihood, it evolved from a noodle soup called Xáo Trâu — a dish made with slices of water buffalo meat cooked in broth with rice vermicelli. While Nam Dinh is believed to be the birthplace of Pho, its spiritual home is On Children’s Day, celebrities go back to where it all began — school picnics, childhood dreams and lessons for life Inspiring the gen-next FROM THE HEART: Anupama Solanki PASSION FOR SINGING: Bhawana Aneja Children’s Day brings back a cherished memory from my childhood. I was in second grade when I won an award for singing. No one in my family knew I had even participated, so bringing home the trophy in a vegetable basket was a complete surprise! My mom was overjoyed and that moment marked the beginning of my passion for singing. Growing up, I was a Bollywood enthusiast, deeply inspired by Madhuri Dixit and performing on her songs became my stage highlight. That early passion has stayed with me, eventually leading me to the entertainment industry. My parents instilled in me strong values, grounding me with kindness and confidence. They taught me that everyone has their own identity, so I never see others as a competition. LIVE AND LET LIVE: Rohit Choudhary On November 14, school authorities took us for picnics or games every year and it was very exciting. When I was a kid, there were only radio and television, so I have grown up watching actors like Srimti Irani, Amna Sharif, Sakshi Tanwar and many more. They have definitely inspired my journey into the entertainment industry and I really cherish that. I think when children pursue the field they are interested in with their heart and soul, they will definitely excel.That is my suggestion to them. All my memories of childhood are filled with the time I spent playing with my dad. As a child, my dreams and ambitions shifted constantly, but one thing always stayed the same - I wanted to be like a king because my father used to say, ‘Beta, you are my king’.I believe that a person’s character is shaped by the values they grow up with, regardless of their financial situation. It’s essential for children to pursue a creative field or sports alongside academics. This helps them develop a side of themselves that keeps them in a continuous learning phase, which is crucial to keeping them away from unwanted habits. The simple philosophy I follow is to ‘live and let live’. Mistakes are a natural part of life; the key is to learn from them and try not to repeat them.Fost Honestly, I had no clear direction as I grew up — I was an average student, and the only thing that truly resonated with me was dance. I thought I might even become a classical dancer someday. Dance inspired me, especially when people appreciated my expression and performance on stage. It gave me a sense of confidence. I’ve always believed that values and culture should be instilled in children from a young age, as these lessons stay with us for life. My parents taught me how to be compassionate and empathetic. c m y b Coming soon Rashmika Mandanna reveals details about Pushpa: The Rule Actress Rashmika Mandanna has promised that Pushpa: The Rule is going to be an exciting ride. She revealed that the ‘first half is amazing, the second half is even more so’. Rashmika took to Instagram, where she shared a picture from the dubbing session, which she captioned, “#Pushpa The Rule #Dubbing Session On.” She then ‘got down to business’ and revealed details about the upcoming film, which is directed by Sukumar. She wrote, “Now that the fun and games are over, let’s get down to business! 1- Pushpa shoot is almost done… 2- Pushpa the rule - duo for the first half is over… 3-1 am dubbing for the second half and my God!” The film’s-first half is already freaking amazing and the second half is even more so… I am literally short on words… You guys are really in for a mindblowing experience! I can’t wait!” On November 10, the makers of the film dropped a poster featuring Sreeleela’s special number from Allu Arjun-starrer Pushpa 2: The Rule. The film is set to arrive in cinemas on December 5. — IANS FOSTERING CREATIVITY: Ekta Tiwari EMOTIONAL QUOTIENT: Rinku Ghosh Hanoi. This is where Pho found its popularity. In sync with the turbulent history of Vietnam, Pho duly got divided in its form and flavour. It became Pho Bac in the North Vietnam, Pho Hue in the Central region, and Pho Sai Gon in South Vietnam. While the history and geography around the dish do appeal to the foodie in me, all my senses, except for one, get relegated to the background the moment Chef Duy places the bowl in front of me. The bok choy, the snow-white eonki mushrooms, the velvety rice noodles and the delicate broth sing merrily inside my mouth, and it’s a happy tune! (The food festival A Culinary Journey to Vietnam is on at JW Marriott till November 17) Children’s Day is a celebration of innocence, joy and endless potential. Many of us treasure sweet memories of school celebrations, treats shared, games with friends and family, and learning new skills, all encouraged by the love and support of those around us. Our childhood experiences shape us — instilling values like empathy, perseverance and curiosity. Encouraging children to explore creative pursuits is essential. Engaging in the arts fosters self-expression, builds problem-solving skills, enhances cognitive abilities, and nurtures innovation. Key lessons learned in childhood — like kindness, integrity, and the power of imagination — lay a foundation for personal growth.