Lounge Loves: Random acts of kindness, Nam Duong soy sauce and more

Random Acts of Kindness

I was in Delhi briefly in April, catching a train to Jhansi to attend a wedding. I had an early morning departure, and to avoid scrambling for a cab at 5am, the friend I was staying with arranged a ride the night before. Enter Vicky, her trusted neighbourhood cabbie. He showed up at 5.15 sharp—after suggesting we leave earlier than planned, knowing better than me how chaotic Nizamuddin station is at that hour. During the ride, he asked about my train, looked up the platform number on an app, and gave me clear directions and tips to navigate the station’s morning crowd. Thanks to him, I found my coach with ease and had time to breathe before the train left. I think about my friend’s thoughtfulness and Vicky’s kindness quite often. Perhaps the world hasn’t collapsed yet under the weight of all its cruelty because of people like them. 

—Shephali Bhatt

Soy Dreams

I have a thing for soy sauce. I have a bottle or two always sitting in my fridge, patiently waiting their turn to add flavour to that quick fried rice for my son’s lunchbox or a stir- fry on a busy weeknight. I switch between the Japanese Kikkoman brand and Lee Kum Kee from Hong Kong. When friends and family travel to South-East Asia, I ask them to bring back rice noodles and soy sauce. I am particularly curious to try local ones that are naturally fermented. On a recent trip to Vietnam, I brought back a couple of bottles by a brand called Nam Duong, and have been happily cooking with it. It might not be available in India, but you know you can pick it up on a trip to Vietnam.

—Rituparna Roy

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Kalimpong on a Plate

Cafe Kalimpong, which opens up to the beautiful Himalayan vistas, became my go-to place while in Kalimpong. It is a gateway to the picturesque hill town in north Bengal. While it has regular book readings and performances by local poets and musicians, it also offers a lovely snapshot of local cuisine—a mix of Nepali and Tibetan food. I opted for the street food box combo. One of the highlights was the Nepalese ring-shaped sel roti with aloo dum. The sweet notes of the bread went beautifully with the potato curry. Another dish which stood out was the phambi made with mung bean tossed in a spicy chutney. One more revelation was the laphing—cold mung noodles served with a spicy broth of radish and topped with chilli oil. 

—Avantika Bhuyan

Happy Landing

Is it the fate of the landing in an apartment building to be dull and drab? Imagine stepping out of the lift or coming up the stairs into a natural light-filled space and the first thing your eyes are drawn to are the three water-filled glass bowls with money plants resting on the shoe cabinet: the water clear, the coloured pebbles matching the vibrancy of the plants. Instead of proceeding to press the calling bell of the house you are headed to, you pause, taking in the scene. The big sliding glass windows are open, a slice of the neighbourhood with its colourful buildings and open terraces is sprawled out in front. The clouds look like freshly popped popcorn. The scene changes on a rainy day. At the street level, the city might look ordinary, come up a few floors of a building, and it changes visually. Here’s to landings with a view.

—Nipa Charagi

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