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On behalf of the Greeks, I apologize to the people of India.

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Sangeeth, of Art of Cooking Indian Food, is hosting an Event called the 101 Series. Sangeeth has named a theme and will go on to the next one, once she has 101 entries.

This month’s theme is Omelette and I am contributing to Sangeeth’s event with three different recipes:

Omelette No.1

Greek sausages, sun dried tomatoes and onion omelette:

Ingredients:

  • 1 sausage from Trikala, (which is with minced beef and leeks)
  • 1 onion
  • 3 – 4 sun dried tomatoes
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon of olive oil

Directions:

Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan (about 18 – 20 cm diameter for this quantity) and while it is heating cut the sausage in small pieces and sauté on both sides.

Add onion and sauté as well until soft and finally add sun-dried tomatoes and stir for a minute. In a bowl blend the eggs with a fork and add salt and pepper and pour over sausages.

Swirl the frying pan round, tilting it so that the eggs coats the base as well as the sides and keep doing this until the eggs become firm. With a spatula make sure that the omelette is loose and transfer in a plate. Then flip the omelette on the other side back in the frying pan until it is done.

Omelette No.2

Mushrooms, feta, peppers and onions omelette:

Ingredients:

  • 4 button mushrooms, cut into slices
  • Green, yellow and red bell peppers cut julienne
  • 100 grams of feta cheese, cut into cubes
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon of olive oil

Directions:

Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan (about 18 – 20 cm diameter for this quantity) and while it is heating cut the mushrooms into slices and sauté.

Add the onion and sauté as well until soft and finally add the peppers and stir for a minute and last the feta. In a bowl blend the eggs with a fork and add salt and pepper and pour over vegetables.

Swirl the frying pan round, tilting it so that the eggs coats the base as well as the sides and keep doing this until the eggs become firm. With a spatula make sure that the omelette is loose and transfer in a plate. Then flip the omelette on the other side back, in the frying pan until it is done.

Omelette No.3

Plain diet omelette:

Ingredients:

  • 1 whole egg and 2 egg whites
  • 1/2 onion, finely chopped (optional)
  • 2 slices of smoked turkey
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil

Directions:

Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan (about 15 cm diameter for this quantity) and while it is heating cut the onion and sauté. Meantime, cut the turkey into small cubes. In a bowl blend the eggs with a fork and add the turkey, salt and pepper and pour over onions. Swirl the frying pan round, tilting it so that the eggs coats the base as well as the sides and keep doing this until the eggs become firm. With a spatula make sure that the omelette is loose and transfer in a plate. Then flip the omelette on the other side back, in the frying pan until it is done.

 

Tsitsanis, rembetika and Indian music

Last evening, when I read a post at Hellenic Antidote, which is one of the few non food blogs I read, I felt that as a Greek I had the moral obligation to apologize to the Indian people and to all the Indian friends I have met through blogging, for what some other people did half a century ago.  

 

 

“In the book, Βασίλης Τσιτσάνης (Vassilis Tsitsanis) : H ζωή μου, το έργο μου, consisting of interviews, Vassilis Tsitsanis gave in the mid-1970s to Kostas Hatzidoulis, the great rembetika musician recalls with bitterness the decline of the rembetika song in the 1950s and squarely pins the blame on unscrupulous composers and producers who would rip off tunes from Indian records and films – Indian films were popular in Greece in the 1950s – and present them as Greek creations.
This is what Tsitsanis says (translated by John Akritas):

‘Indian rule (Ινδοκρατία) started to prevail in the field of popular music in the first few years of the 1950s… Those irresponsible so-called composers, without a trace of shame, took music from Indian records and, after changing the lyrics into Greek, presented them to the public as their own creations and genuine Greek songs. An unprecedented wave of Indian songs swept over our country…

‘Everything we [rembetika and popular music] composers had created with sweat and blood was swept away by Indian rule. And yet nobody ever spoke out against these criminals… nobody denounced them so that the entire world could learn who, in cold blood, had killed genuine popular music.

‘One of these criminals would go with his tape recorder to cinemas playing Indian films and record the tunes. After, he would write new lyrics, make the record and have a big hit. And when I say “hit”, I’m talking at least 100,000 records. With each record they put out, they were able to buy themselves a new flat.’

One of the most famous songs to come out of this Greek-Indian fusion is Δεν Με Πόνεσε Κανείς (No one ever hurt for me); the tune for which comes from the Bollywood classic, Mother India (1957).

The first video above is the original song from the Indian film; the second video is the Greek version (Δεν Με Πονεσε Κανεις) sung by Eleni Vitali. Also, in Radio Akritas I’ve made available the song as sung by Eleftheria Arvanitaki, from her first solo album, Eleftheria. From the same album, I’ve included in Radio Akritas two Tsitsanis songs: Αραπικο Λουλουδι and Με Πηρε Το Ξημερωμα Στους Δρομους. This last song is one of the darkest in the Tsitsanis’ repertoire. The lyrics are Alekos Angelopoulos’.

Με πήρε το ξημέρωμα στους δρόμους
να σκέφτομαι και να παραμιλώ
καρδούλα πώς άντεξες τους πόνους
που μ’ έχουν καταντήσει πια τρελό.

Μια λέξη απ’ το στόμα μου δε βγαίνει
γιατί έφυγε και τούτη η βραδιά
λες και την καταδίκη μου να φέρει
η μέρα που ‘ρχεται μες στην καρδιά.

Με πήρε το ξημέρωμα στους δρόμους
ανθρώπινο κουρέλι τριγυρνώ
καρδούλα μου πώς άντεξες τους πόνους
με τις φουρτούνες τούτες που περνώ. ”

Principal philosophers and religious figures have stated it in different ways.

Ancient Greek philosophy

The Golden Rule was a common principle in ancient Greek philosophy. A few examples:

“Do not to your neighbor what you would take ill from him.” (Pittacus)

“Avoid doing what you would blame others for doing.” (Thales)

“What you wish your neighbors to be to you, such be also to them.” (Sextus the Pythagorean)

“Do not do to others what would anger you if done to you by others.” (Isocrates)

“What thou avoidest suffering thyself seek not to impose on others.” (Epictetus)

I hope that at least you have enjoyed the songs. I still love these songs.

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Karen

Thursday 2nd of March 2017

Nice post for food lovers and for me also as i am food lovers and omelettes here sounds delicious.

sunny leone

Thursday 7th of May 2015

amazing post and omelettes look delicious can i eat in your web

Aparna

Sunday 19th of October 2008

Ivy, I did wonder why you were apologising to Indians. Anyways, its not your fault. This is something that happens in music (and other fields) all over the world. Look at it this way. Those who did something shameful have to live with it. You got to enjoy some good music. :)

Ivy

Sunday 19th of October 2008

Aparna I know that it's not my fault and copyright was inexistent then but even today that there are copyright laws we hear of so many unethical people trying to become richer by stealing the hard work of others. On the other hand we did enjoy Indian music but I felt like mentioning it.

PG

Friday 17th of October 2008

These are some wonderful omlettes! I was keen on finding out more about Rembetika music and through your link i came to one where I could also lsiten to one and I think it is lovely. This is something with which you could proudly identify as a Greek. The copied versions, even if appreciated and popular, really don't compare to it. As, Rembetika is one of it's kind.

And as others have already mentioned, this is happening still and in India too since many years infact. They copy some tunes, usually the chorus, as I have seen, from the western pop music and include it in their music. But, this is a wonderful gesture on your part!

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