Best of Weekender: Meet Ashwin Sanghi, get Rs 1 lakh to snooze, and try Konkani recipes

Who has not heard of Ashwin Sanghi, best known for his three novels, The Rozabal Line, Chanakya's Chant, and The Krishna Key?

All his books are based on mythological themes and have topped the bestseller lists. Like his other novels, his latest book, The Vault of Shiva, also has strong female characters such as a young DRDO investigator tasked with finding the secret of Chinese soldiers’ superhuman strength to a veteran RAW agent and others.

If you like books with strong women protagonists and if you are a fan of Ashwin Sanghi, don’t miss our exclusive interview with this brilliant thriller writer.

The beauty of Konkan food lies in the spices. Whether it is the fiery tirphal, purple kokum, ambade plums, or tart green mangoes, the delicious blend of sweet, sour, and piquant flavours puts the cuisine in a league of its own. The region is also known for its palette of wonderful produce, like ash, snake, and bitter gourds to golden pumpkins, Malabar spinach, fragrant amaranth, and so much more.

In the 50s, one of the most popular cookbook writers in the Konkan region was Narayani Nayak, who wrote Cookery Craft, which soon became a kitchen bible in homes of many housewives and cookery enthusiasts of the time.

Now, Pune-based food writer and filmmaker Jyotsna Shahane has revised and rewritten this cookbook to make it more contemporary and give it a new spectrum of readership. She recently launched her book, ‘The Classic Konkan Cookbook’ in which she has meticulously tried out and curated all recipes in Narayani’s book and chosen the best among them. She's also added some new recipes.

If you love spicy food and Konkani cuisine, check out this interview with Jyotsna where she tells us how her culinary journey began, the specialties of the Konkan, how to cook a delicious meal, and much more.

In the super-busy times we live in, travel works like medicine and a happy pill that will make your days brighter and better. Travel also slows you down, expands awareness, enhances creativity, provides perspective, and helps connect with others.

Our travel writer suggests seven Indian destinations that don’t appear on most to-do lists, but are perfect for long weekends or short breaks. From holidays on the banks of the River Gomti to appreciating the cultural wealth of Rajasthan and enjoying the cool climes of Coonoor, there are many beautiful destinations in India that will be perfect for your next holiday.

Check out our recommendations and book your plane or train tickets now.

Would you like to be paid to sleep on the job? Well, you can do just that and be paid a handsome sum of Rs 1 lakh too. A sleep internship launched by sleep solutions startup Wakefit.co is offering interns a chance to go to sleep in order to study sleep patterns and enhance this generation’s sleep health.

The sleep solutions startup is offering this one-of-kind sleep internship for snoozers to sleep on Wakefit mattresses for 100 nights in the comfort of their own beds.

In an exclusive interview with YS Weekender, Chaitanya Ramalingegowda, Director and Co-founder, Wakefit.co talks about his company, the launch of their new sleep internship, why it’s important to develop regular sleeping habits, and what young people should know about sleep.

If you have been facing sleep issues, don’t miss this interview with this enterprising entrepreneur and read all about their exciting new project.

What do you eat for breakfast? A bowl of oats, a golden omelette, or a plate of idli-sambar? Did you know that what you eat for breakfast can make or break your day?

Breakfast, which gets its name from the words ‘fast’ and ‘break’, is the first meal you eat when you break your fast of the previous night. There are certain frameworks that you need to follow when it comes to planning your breakfast. Figuring things out in advance will ensure that you are eating the right proportion of proteins, carbs, vitamins, and minerals.

Check out what our nutritionist says about breakfast foods and how you need to create the right breakfasts to feel good all day long.

Are your favourite authors Yuval Noah Harari and JRR Tolkien? Is Sherlock Holmes your fictional hero? Are your heroes in real life Bill Gates and Dalai Lama? If yes, meet Aditya Churiwala, Co-Founder, Icekraft, a dessert and ice-cream company, who feels the same way.

After completing his MBA, Aditya acquired a CFA qualification and worked as an international banker for almost seven years. He simultaneously worked with Co-founder Monil Shah on Icekraft.

Aditya says nothing in his past experiences could have prepared him for the many hours and creative inputs required to start and expand Icekraft.

His greatest happiness lies in spending time with his daughter and his chief indulgence is gaming on the big screen. As for his motto, he believes that hard work will always pay off, even if it seems like it is taking a long time.

Don’t miss reading all about his greatest loves, hates, regrets, and much more in his responses to our Proust questionnaire.