Last week on Twitter I mentioned I was cooking this dish, and my friend and fellow author Annie Nicholas asked for the recipe. I promised her I'd put it up asap, so here it is!
This is totally my invention as soup, but I do attest that it tastes very good!
Here goes:
Pumpkin & Red Split Lentils Soup
(Makes about 4-5 cups soup)
Ingredients
1 large onion, chopped finely
250 g red split lentils, washed and soaked for an hour
1 pound pumpkin, cubed (or canned. I've never tried it with canned but it should work too)
Spices: 1 teaspoon each of
Cumin powder
Coriander powder
Turmeric powder
Paprika
Ground black pepper
A dash of nutmeg (don't use too much coz this can get overwhelming. You want just a hint of flavour)
Tomato puree (or sauce) - 1 Tablespoon
3 cups water
Salt
Olive oil
Pasta shells (optional)
How to:
1. Heat oil in pan and brown onions.
2. Mix spice powders and make into a paste by adding a little water. Add this paste to the onions and fry for 1-2 minutes.
3. Drain lentils and add to pan. Stir.
4. Add pumpkin and water. Stir and bring to boil.
5. Lower heat, leave to simmer, covered partially, for 20-30 minutes (you want the lentils to have softened and lost their shape, and the pumpkin to have 'melted').
6. When soup is at the consistency you want, stir in the tomato puree. Add a little salt, and taste (add more if it needs!).
7. If you want to make this a full meal but still keep it light, throw in some pasta shells towards the end of cooking time.
There you are - a quick and easy soup! Bon appetit!
Ah... First dates! It's been ages since I've been on one, yet every time I write a new story, I am taking steps in my characters' shoes and - you guessed it! - going on first dates with Mr. Okay, Mr. Right Now, Mr. Terrible, Mr. No-No... all in the hopes of finding that elusive Mr. Right.
Tell me that's not the case for you too, romance writers out there, and I'll tell you that you're lying! At some point or another, especially when penning contemporaries, we'll need to take our heroine - and hero - on a first date.
Yikes - land of all dangers, of all pitfalls... of love at first date too maybe... We all know we want a first date to go without hitch, especially in real life. In books, I'll admit a disastrous first date can make for further conflict and steer your plot/story.
So how do we navigate the treacherous waters of the first date?
Look no further - this article has some very good pointers! I grabbed it off MSN Lifestyle Love & Relationships a few months ago, back in November 2010.
The article is by Maura Kelly.
*****
Seven Tips to Help You "Click" with a First Date
Instant connections are wonderful, but they're also rare. With a little bit of expert advice, however, you can help forge connections more easily.
By Maura Kelly
[Editor's note: Maura Kelly writesThe Year of Living Flirtatiouslyblog for MarieClaire.com. This is an excerpt from that blog.]
Most of us have had the wonderful experience of "just clicking" with someone — feeling like we could talk to him for the rest of eternity, or like we must've known each other during past lives. Usually, it just happens naturally, in a way that seems almost magical.
But, as bestselling authors (and brothers) Rom and Ori Brafman explain in their popular book, Click: The Magic of Instant Connections, it's not magic. Certain behaviors and factors can help predict whether or not we'll hit it off with any given person. The Brafmans have studied the things we do that help us connect with each other — and I talked to Rom about things you can do to help you click on a first date.
In your book, you say it's good to show some vulnerability if you are hoping to connect or click with someone you've just met. My reaction to that was: "Vulnerable? Really? Isn't that a turnoff for most people?"
We usually associate vulnerability with a negative quality, namely weakness — but what we are talking about is being open, and disclosing some personal information. We're not talking about revealing your deepest secrets or letting someone in on all your sorrows — but sharing a personal anecdote with someone or letting him or her know what you're thinking helps to create intimacy. And the more you reveal about yourself, the more someone else is likely to reciprocate — and feel a connection with you.
Can you give me a few specific examples of "vulnerable" things people can do to increase the sense of connection and intimacy on a date?
1. Tell a little story from your childhood.
For example, let's say that on a first date your conversation naturally turns to pizza, and you decide to share that when you were in second grade your teacher would set up these pizza parties and that's what kept you interested in school — that every day you were looking forward to these pizza parties. It's not a profound story. There's no great lesson. But you're taking off the persona that we so often have on when we're dating. You're sending the message that you trust the other person, and feel engaged enough to open up. Telling a childhood story is almost never going to backfire.
2. Let your date know you're enjoying yourself.
Try "I'm really enjoying our conversation" or "I'm really glad we're here." That sets the tone and will also clue a guy in to the fact that you're engaged, so he doesn't have to feel preoccupied with that question — which allows him to focus more on being himself.
But be careful to talk about how you're feeling, rather than giving the guy a direct compliment — which could make him feel on the spot. So saying, "I like the way our night is going" is better than saying, "I really like you."
3. Don't say anything negative, like "I'm feeling bored right now."
That's not being vulnerable — it's being inappropriately blunt!
4. Ask questions that will draw out your date and make him feel a little more vulnerable — in a good way — as well.
Say things like, "Whom in your family do you get along with best?" Or, "What was high school like for you?" If he can't answer these questions, don't immediately give up — maybe he's just nervous. Encourage him. Or be a little more specific, like: "Do you get along with your siblings?" Or "Who were you closest with in high school?"
5. If you have any sudden ideas about fun things you can do on the date, throw them out there.
For instance, maybe you feel like sharing an ice cream with your date; suggest you go for a cone. Try to act the way you would with a friend. Be spontaneous and try out new things.
6. Show up with enthusiasm and energy.
Develop a curiosity about the other person, and ask questions that you find interesting — not just the usual boring get-to-know-you questions like "What do you do?"
7. Don't be afraid to disagree.
That shows you're confident. If you feel completely the other way about an issue, say so. And if things get a little heated, turn down the temperature by saying, "Wow, we're not even halfway through our first date and we're having a serious debate. I'm glad we can be honest."
It's time for my every-other-month post at The Pop Culture Divas today! The ongoing theme for May and June is Weddings - so I'm inviting you to get my take on the weddings I attend in Mauritius, in my world.
It's kinda drastic for us attendees, but I'm sure you can get a chuckle or two!
Start of another week... Sigh... You know I'm gonna ask where the past weekend went, innit? With both boys home, instead of leaving them to their own devices with the Playstation (and where they'll bash one another senseless in Tekken or Street Fighter or Mortal Kombat or what else other I'll-kill-you-while-you-kill-me-twice type of video game), so we hit the beach yesterday morning, probably our last stint to the coasts now that winter is coming in.
As for today... just put a dish of lamb tagine to slow-cook in the oven. It's a Moroccan dish - served with couscous - that features in my upcoming release, Walking The Edge. Reading all about it again through the edits last week made me crave the food once again and I set out to make it today. Well, yesterday, to be more precise - for you see, you have to cut and marinate the lamb with specific tagine spices overnight, before you'll combine the rest of the ingredients together after you've browned the marinated meat and place the dish in the oven to slow-cook over 2 hours (or a little more).
Making this dish, I couldn't help but realize how much the systematic and well-organized setup to prepare a tagine is also akin to balancing life and your many duties when you're an author. You cannot simply pull up and decide to do something - it all requires planning, like your tagine meat needs to be marinated overnight. You cannot just do something the way you and you alone want to - there are rules, a certain framework and order to follow, exactly like your recipe, its list of ingredients, and what to add first and how.
All in all, this dish has taken me 1 hour to put together and get it into the oven. Yet, looking at the instructions and the list of ingredients a mile long for tagine, you'd think you need to spend half a day in your kitchen to pull this together.
Life is like this too. You think it'll take a long, long time to get everything ironed out, but until you try, you won't know.
On Friday, I mentioned that I'm collaborating with my bestie Angela Guillaume on a story. We've given each other a deadline set in stone for that one - we have a plan, and we're doing it all ourselves. I now have until July 31 to pen down a 50K story. It sounds doable, or terribly daunting. I'm like, 6K a week? Isn't that madness? You gotta reckon that in the past, I wrote in one single block of time, uninterrupted. I could clock 3-4K words in one morning. But then I wrote only once a week - with my hectic schedule and to-do lists, I couldn't find a free block of time to write every so often. That's why I stalled with my WIPs too.
But I cannot do this now, not for this project! 6K a week, every week. How on earth...? And this got me thinking of the tagine recipe - where a little here and a little there break down the mile-long recipe page into something that's doable in steps, where one builds upon the other, and before you know it, you end up with a consistent whole.
That's what I'm aiming for in my writing now. A little everyday. I clocked down 1.1K this morning, and still found time to do my other tasks. Win-win on all fronts. This'll be my goal every working day now - 1K and slightly more everyday, to add up gradually to 50K come July 31.
My update for now, folks! What are you all up to this week?
D-1 to the dreaded exam. Consequently, being immersed in textbooks and other persuasive text parlance that reads like utter gibberish and makes no sense whatsoever - I didn't subject you to a Wednesday ramble. Still, it's hard to be away from the blog, especially when blogging seems to be one of the sane things in your life.
So without further ado, here's today's link up. I got it from the Cosmopolitan Australia site, and you can access the article to get the pics accompanying each 'lie'.
*****
Top nine lies women tell men We know, we know, honesty is the best policy. But anyone who says they've never dropped a porky pie is, erm, lying. Clearly. Here are the top nine whoppers we tell men...
1. That you’re the best sex we’ve ever had
Well, what else are we supposed to say? “You’re the worst?” Unlikely! Telling a man he’s the best lover you’ve ever had is the easy way out, and one that he’s pleased with. What they don’t know doesn’t hurt them, does it?
2. “I’m nearly ready to go”
This is more often than not spoken in a tone that reeks of panic – frantic harassed panic as we try to look as ready as we’re pretending to be. This is always a lie.
3. “I’m fine”
The universal white lie that tumbles from ladies' lips with reckless abandon (and often, silent fury). If a female hisses this phrase at you, chances are we are not fine.
4. "It was on sale!"
The last thing we want to be accused of is blowing too much money of frivolous items, so we lie about it because we can. Then we cross our fingers that you have no idea that Camilla & Marc almost NEVER run sales.
5. That we love spending time with your family
It’s not that we hate spending time with them, and this is not a lie in every case, but we’d rather just be spending time with you, alone.
6. “Sure, you can call me...”
When faced with a perfectly nice guy asking us out, we feel trapped. Most of the time he hasn’t done anything wrong – he’s just not our type – and we feel we can’t give them the full rejection speech or the cold shoulder. So we smile politely and lie.
7. How much we weigh
This is dangerous territory for you, buddy. A woman should never have to divulge this information if she doesn’t want to and if you put us on the spot we'll probably tell you how much we weigh...minus a couple of kilos.
8. “You’re right.”
If you win a fight because we defeatedly mutter “You’re right,” don’t be fooled. We’re lying, saying these words just so we don’t have to listen to you anymore. Of course, we don't really believe it...
9. "Just tell me the truth...”
Good news: this is when YOU get to lie.
*****
I'll admit I'm totally guilty of # 2, so that now my husband always asks if I said I'd be ready in 5 minutes or 5 Zee minutes, in which case he knows he can catch an episode of Firefly/Burn Notice/Castle before I'll emerge.
And I'm sometimes guilty of # 4 too - even though my last binge was actually at a sale at Aldo.
Am I advocating singledom? Tough question... You know those days when you wish you were single, just because then no one would care if you're still in your PJs at 3pm, had cake for lunch and plan to nuke a frozen pizza for dinner all while guzzling a whole bottle of Mountain Dew while you TV-zapped through all the daytime soaps sitting cross-legged on the sofa with a pile of half-open, trashiest romance books you can find all around you... Let's just say I want one of those days...
But then too it's been so long since I've been single (doing a Susan Meyers of Desperate Housewives skit here, thinking 'when was the last time I was single... Uh, ever...?'). I'd be totally out of my depths in today's world - case in point, look at the scenario above.
And unless I want every single heroine I write next to be a Bridget Jones- wannabe, I seriously need to up my game.
That's where the article of today comes into play! You can find it, with all its good pics, here on, as expected, my article bible, MSN Lifestyle Love & Relationships section. The piece is written by Laura Hagans Smith, and pulls knowledge and advice from a wide array of women out there.
*****
The Dos and Don'ts of Being Single
We asked experts and women who've seen it all for their advice on being single and loving it.
by Laura Hagans Smith
Practice Your Dating Skills
"None of us is born knowing how to be in a relationship. Malcolm Gladwell, in his best-selling book Outliers, argues that virtually every skill can be mastered, if it's practiced for 10 years. He writes: 'The tennis prodigy who starts playing at six is playing in Wimbledon at 16 or 17. The classical musician who starts playing the violin at four is debuting at Carnegie Hall at 15 or so.' View being single as practice for being in a relationship. Don't expect to have the skills to be in a relationship right away."
—Juliette Tang, community manager for zoosk.com
Be Prepared to NOT Be Single for an Evening
"Do carry a toothbrush, toothpaste and condoms in your purse. You never know what the night has to offer!" —Krishana Clark, 24, Tampa, Fla.
Learn from the Mistakes (and Successes) of Others
"Do be interested. Listen to others and you'll be amazed by what you learn (about dating)."
—Debra Goldstein, coauthor of Flirtexting
Put Yourself Out There
"Don't feel silly striking up a conversation with a stranger. The only way to meet people is to talk to them — so say hello! Whether it's a friend's older brother, the waiter at your local restaurant or even a cute guy in the park, people are generally more receptive than you think to a friendly greeting. To start the conversation, ask him a question."
—Sarah Harrison, editor at yourtango.com
Dress Like You're Not Single (Especially Lingerie-Wise)
"Do wear sexy underwear. Who cares if you're the only one who sees it? The sex appeal it gives you will ooze through, and you'll feel super sexy and kind of powerful, too. Same goes for cute nightgowns to bed."
—Erin Scottberg, editor at lemondrop.com
Dating Someone Won't Change Your Entire Life
"Don't look for someone to complete you … you're the only one who can do that."
—Olivia Baniuszewicz, Flirtexting
Stake Out a Good Spot for Dude-Spotting
"Do be a regular—at a bar or restaurant, coffee shop, etc. It's a great way to meet new people."
—Klancy Miller, 36, New York City
Enjoy Your Life Just as It Is, Right Now
"Do spend time dating yourself. Take yourself to dinner, spend the day enjoying your own company, pop into a museum alone and sit down and have a glass of wine by yourself. Too many women are afraid they'll look pathetic, but in reality a woman who does what she wants to do when she wants to do it looks confident (read totally sexy) to the opposite sex."
—Brenda Della Casa, author of Cinderella Was a Liar
Be Open to Taking a Friendship to the Next Level
"Don't rule out dating close friends — especially those who might have let it slip that they're attracted to you. There's always the looming dread of jeopardizing your friendship, but I've learned that these are often the most successful, since there is no cheap pretense of seduction — you can feel secure knowing that he likes you for who you really are."
—Alexandra Rodriguez, 20, Potomac, Md.
You Never Know What Romance May Be in Store for You
"Do remember that your life's plan is not written in stone. It's written on paper that can be ripped up. Be open to new people and events that weren't in the plan."
—Larry Wilson, founder and CEO of oppositesconnect.com
Been in a desi mood lately, and following the success of the Bollywood party at the recent RWA conference, I thought I'd take you all to Bollywood today.
Tried to find the cheesiest, totally-over-the-top music and videos. Here's a selection. Lots of them are about weddings, and it doesn't get any cheesier than weddings in Indian cinema. :)
Enjoy!
Tanu Weds Manu - The song that's been making rounds lately, a total hit! It's about a totally mismatched couple in an arranged marriage. The guy comes to India from the US to get married, except for the tiny detail that the bride does not want to get married! I haven't yet seen this movie but it's on my to-watch list.
Aisha - a modern Bollywood retelling of the classic Jane Austen story, Emma.
Now we start to go back a little in the years - the classics!
Kabhie Khushi Kabhie Gham (translates to A Little Happiness, A Little Sadness) - a family drama spanning 10 years. When the eldest brother falls for a girl who is 'beneath their station', the patriarch sends him away. 10 years later, the younger brother is back from boarding school and vows to bring his family together again.
Kal Ho Na Ho (translates to Tomorrow Might Not Be) - Takes place in New York. Heroine falls in love with the new guy on the block. Except he's a terminal heart patient and vows he'll bring love into heroine's life... in the form of heroine's best friend who's been pining for her all along.
Salaam-e-Ishq (literally translates to A Greeting at Love) - Bollywood's answer to Love Actually. The love stories of 6 different couples.
Darn, darn, darn! Back in the days when I was dating/actively looking for a man, the Internet was pretty much in its infancy stage. I must've set a few dates via email, but that's as far a role as the Internet played in my dating life. Now I wish those times had been different - I would've been more Internet-browsing-savvy, and lots, lots more dating resources would've been available online. Like it is now.
Check out this article - who wouldn't love to know what a guy thinks/judges you on the minute he sees you? Would've helped with all those hair-frying-blowdries or the paint-primer-like makeup application, because... guys don't notice these! Hello?? Was that a wakeup call or what?
So for all of you still in the dating pool out there, check out those tips. Believe me, they do come in handy!
For all of you writers out there - whether your hero is a modern tycoon or a historical rake - chances are, these following pointers are what's lighting up in his brain when he sees 'the girl'.
The article is from my Links bible, MSN Lifestyle Love & Relationship section. I accessed it back in August 2010, and is written by Bethany Heitman.
*****
8 Things Guys Notice About You Instantly
The second a man sees you, he starts ticking off a checklist to determine if he'll ask you out. Shocker: A nice rear end is nowhere on that list. See what actually is.
By Bethany Heitman
You know that look where his eyes slide past you ... then turn back? Wouldn't it be great to know what stopped him? You totally can. "There are a few things men instantly observe when they meet a woman," says Jackie Black, Ph.D., author of Meeting Your Match. Learn what they are and you can maximize your, um, assets. Then you'll have your pick.
1. How Thick Your Hair Is
This is all about evolution. Since caveman days, dudes have been drawn to lush locks, which signal that a woman is healthy (translation: shaggable).
2. If Your Smile Is Genuine
Sometimes your eyes crinkle a bit when you grin. Most men are good at distinguishing the vibe of this kind of smile, which says you're relaxed and fun.
3. The Size of Your Group
You don't want a big bunch (it'll be hard for him to approach) or just one friend (he'll figure you wouldn't desert her to talk to him). The perfect crew size? Three. Your two buds can keep each other company when you slip away.
4. The Pitch of Your Voice
Studies show that men are drawn to voices in a slightly higher register (think Kristin Bell's), probably because — yep, evolution — they're reliable signs of youth and reproductive health.
5. Your Hip-to-Waist Ratio
Yet again, blame eons of human history. Men instinctually look for baby mamas. If your waist is noticeably smaller than your hips, it signifies fertility — a huge point in your favor. A wide belt will emphasize that hourglass shape.
6. Your Glowiness
Guys associate a radiant complexion with good mental health. That's because stress and anxiety usually cause breakouts and dull skin. So those lotions and bronzers you sweep over your cheeks? Totally worth it.
7. What's Fake About You
Not personality-fake, but artificial-accoutrement-fake: lashes, hair extensions, etc. To guys, these things shout high-maintenance! Not good.
8. Your Eyes
People focus on eyes more than they do on any other body part. And dramatic eye makeup will have him zeroing in on your peepers even more.
*****
Great tips for that first time your hero catches sight of your heroine, innit? Yeah, I thought as much too. :)
I started reading this book yesterday. So far, it has captivated me. I'm not usually one to gobble non-fiction (yes, I'm that shallow) but with this book, I'm finding myself sitting down and gobbling at every opportunity I can get.
Now you may wonder why I'm bothering with this title, because, let's face it, I have no daughters. My house is loaded down with testosterone, and the only pink thing you'll find in my home is my tube of lipstick (the lipstick is Bordeaux Red, the lipstick tube is pink!).
However, I have nieces, and... I write romance. Today's little girl is tomorrow's young woman - she'll be a reader of romance most probably, but she'll also be the 'heroine' of tomorrow, the kind of woman we'll have to 'tune in to' to write.
I'm pretty sure I'll finish this one by next Tuesday, when I plan to write up a review and my thoughts about this title and its subject.
In the meantime, here's some more about the book:
Product Description
The acclaimed author of the groundbreaking bestseller Schoolgirls reveals the dark side of pink and pretty: the rise of the girlie-girl, she warns, is not that innocent.
Pink and pretty or predatory and hardened, sexualized girlhood influences our daughters from infancy onward, telling them that how a girl looks matters more than who she is. Somewhere between the exhilarating rise of Girl Power in the 1990s and today, the pursuit of physical perfection has been recast as a source—the source—of female empowerment. And commercialization has spread the message faster and farther, reaching girls at ever-younger ages.
But, realistically, how many times can you say no when your daughter begs for a pint-size wedding gown or the latest Hannah Montana CD? And how dangerous is pink and pretty anyway—especially given girls' successes in the classroom and on the playing field? Being a princess is just make-believe, after all; eventually they grow out of it. Or do they? Does playing Cinderella shield girls from early sexualization—or prime them for it? Could today's little princess become tomorrow's sexting teen? And what if she does? Would that make her in charge of her sexuality—or an unwitting captive to it?
Those questions hit home with Peggy Orenstein, so she went sleuthing. She visited Disneyland and the international toy fair, trolled American Girl Place and Pottery Barn Kids, and met beauty pageant parents with preschoolers tricked out like Vegas showgirls. She dissected the science, created an online avatar, and parsed the original fairy tales. The stakes turn out to be higher than she—or we—ever imagined: nothing less than the health, development, and futures of our girls. From premature sexualization to the risk of depression to rising rates of narcissism, the potential negative impact of this new girlie-girl culture is undeniable—yet armed with awareness and recognition, parents can effectively counterbalance its influence in their daughters' lives.
Cinderella Ate My Daughter is a must-read for anyone who cares about girls, and for parents helping their daughters navigate the rocky road to adulthood.
****
On the book's Amazon page, there's this note from the author, Peggy Orenstein:
"As a mom, I admit, I was initially tempted to give the new culture of pink and pretty a pass. There are already so many things to be vigilant about as a parent; my energy was stretched to its limit. So my daughter slept in a Cinderella gown for a few years. Girls will be girls, right?
They will—and that is exactly why we need to pay more, rather than less, attention to what’s happening in their world. According to the American Psychological Association, the emphasis on beauty and play-sexiness at ever-younger ages is increasing girls’ vulnerability to the pitfalls that most concern parents: eating disorders, negative body image, depression, risky sexual behavior. Yet here we are with nearly half of six-year-old girls regularly using lipstick or lip gloss. The percentage of eight- to twelve-year-old girls wearing eyeliner or mascara has doubled in the last TWO years (I ask you: shouldn’t the percentage of eight-year-olds wearing eyeliner be zero?). A researcher told me that when she asks teenage girls how a sexual experience felt to them they respond by telling her how they think they looked. Meanwhile, the marketing of pink, pretty, and “sassy” has become a gigantic business: the Disney Princesses alone are pulling in four BILLION dollars in revenue annually.
As I immersed myself in the research for this book, I began to trace a line from the innocence of Cinderella to the struggles Miley Cyrus has faced in trying to “age up,” which in turn was connected to how regular girls present themselves on Facebook (where identity itself becomes a performance, crafted in response to your audience of 322 BFFs). It seemed that even as new educational and professional opportunities unfurled before my daughter and her peers, so did the path that encouraged them to equate identity with image, self-expression with appearance, femininity with performance, pleasure with pleasing, and sexuality with sexualization.
So much is at stake, for mothers with girls of all ages: How do we define girlhood? What about femininity? Beauty? Sexuality? Our choices will tell our girls how we see them, who we want them to be, our values, expectations, hopes, and dreams. Do we want them to be judged by the content of their character or the color of their lip gloss?
I’m the first to admit that I do not have all the answers. Who could? But as a mother who also happens to be a journalist (or perhaps vice versa), I wanted to lay out the context—the marketing, science, history, culture—in which we make our choices, to provide information and insight that might help parents, educators, and all of us who care about girls guide them toward their true happily-ever-afters."
****
Want to know more about the book? Check its page page on Amazon, and this article Newsweek pubbed about it.
I have to confess... I didn't make it till March. Sigh. Yes, once again, I got bitten by the writing bug.
So we're back in business, peeps! Check out the WIP Progress meter - it's up and running again. I wrote Chapter 1 on this new story during the week. The minute I 'finished' with my research, the characters were screaming to get out and I had - I just had! - to let them out. :) Don't you love when that happens to you? Of course, it probably makes you even more of a neurotic basket case than you already are, but who's keeping tabs? (And no, the husband and kids don't count! They already know you're one brick short of a patio).
10% down - I dunno why, but I got a feeling. This story will (hopefully) write itself pretty well. I've put down a strong outline and it's mostly a road map to me now. No, I'm not working from a synop this time. I'll cross that bridge when I get to it, just not now. I'm in this sparkly little bubble when any writer starts a new story. I have a feeling I'll keep this light burning bright in the coming weeks, the time it'll take to finish this piece.
With the thought that I have my first uni assignment due in 2 weeks, I really have to get all my ducks lined up. And start studying too, come to think of it. If the characters will cooperate... :)
Cannot believe it's already Friday! Where's the time flying, people? Last Friday of February too, at that! Unbelievable. Now that means next week we're getting into March... sometime special... *wink* I'll keep you posted. Stay tuned.
What have you got planned this weekend? All I can think of is that my cupboards and pantry shelves are empty, and I need to go grocery shopping. This weekend. At the end of the month. When everyone else will be going shopping too. Can you predict a raging headache? Hope yours is better than mine (at least less dire!).
Today I'm gonna share with you a piece of music that hit the Mauritian charts a few years back. Originally a song devised and sung by a Gospel singer, it was adopted as a national hit and stayed a top chart winner for many consecutive weeks.
The song has a very progressive, electro sound to its music, and when it first came out (especially because you first hear English lyrics on it), everyone thought it was 'foreign' song. Nobody believed a Mauritian had come up with the sound and tune - but this became obvious when you later on hear the same English lyrics being now sung in the local language Creole on the track. The singer also came into the spotlight - his name is King and he's active in Gospel circles.
The song is titled Let Me Fly. I've always loved its sound - its one of my favourites. A friend of mine found the link and posted it on Facebook - I thought I'd share it with you all here. :)
Take a listen, and watch the clip too - there are some gorgeous images of Mauritian landscapes along the stills. It also portrays a very 'modern' Mauritius, not just the picture-perfect postcard but also with iconic buildings, waterfronts, and other landscapes which make up the island as we know it today.
I'm celebrating some personal progress today! Now, sorry if I keep this short - we're in the midst of a massive thunderstorm and I should be turning down the Internet set-top box asap.
So yes, celebrating! Last year, in and around November and after, due to my health and a hospital stay, I sat on my butt and did nothing except eat and drink. Needless to tell you, I got fat. Not fat fat, know what I mean, but I wasn't my optimum lean physique either. Plus I had a spare tyre on the middle.
That's what got me into gear. We all know Indian girls have a natural, even genetic, propensity for having a bit of belly and love handles. That I can deal with (prefer it this way actually. I'd look like a coat-hanger without love handles). Not the spare tyre around my stomach.
I started to exercise - managed to keep a pretty steady routine, though most of the time it was hit and miss. Changed my eating habits and became a devotee of Chrononutrition - where you feed your body specific food at specific times of the day (it's not as restrictive as it sounds, really! I eat a huge breakfast and even take sweets/cake/dark chocolate at tea time!). Based on the Chrononutrition analysis (number of factors such as weight, measurements, height, diameter of wrist, eating habits, where the body seems to be storing more), it turned out I was eating too much carbs, esp at night.
I did just that one little change - less carbs, esp at night. In the whole picture of the Chrononutrition way of eating, in barely 2 months, I have... lost my spare tyre!
I now have a flat stomach!
Feels great to have achieved a goal... and I celebrated by having a doughnut. :) Oh well, I'm not on a diet, you know. *grins*
So that's my update for today! You guys celebrating anything?
Yesterday I spoke about the tea party I had over at my place on Saturday. I promised the recipe for my apple pie, so here it is.
Before you read any further, I must tell you I'm one of those cooks who follows a recipe scrupulously the first time. If I get the dish right, the next time I make it, I'm gonna start tinkering with the recipe. Biggest 'places' I do this are with fat and sugar content. I'm appalled at the amount of fat some recipes ask for, when much less will still do the trick. As for sugar, my husband is diabetic so I always work the sugar low on everything I make. And before you ask, no, I don't 'believe' in those sugar substitutes. Too much bad associated with aspartame and sucralose and whatever else passes for 'no-sugar' in today's culture.
I followed a basic cookery course while in high school. So I know my basics, and this allows me to tinker and experiment. The recipe for apple pie calls for a version of the shortcrust pastry so I don't really follow an established recipe for the pastry and just make mine like that.
Here goes! This makes a 9-inch pie, which easily serves 6-8.
Ingredients
2.5 cups of plain flour
125 g butter (or shortening)
Handful of sugar
3-5 tablespoons of water
5-6 red apples
A handful of sugar
A sprinkle of cinnamon
A few drops of vanilla essence/extract
Method
For the pastry:
Sieve flour in a bowl.
Cut fat into small cubes and dump in flour. Keep cutting the butter with the knife in the flour until it becomes small globs in there. Ditch the knife, go in with the tips of your fingers (just the tips, mind you!), and rub the fat into the flour until the mixture resembles fine sand.
Sprinkle sugar in the 'sand'.
Add 2-3 tablespoons of water and start bunching the mixture into a ball. If all is not 'pulling up', add another tablespoon of water.
Now if your dough is too sticky, don't despair. Sprinkle some flour on the dough and keep kneading until it no longer sticks.
Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
In the meantime, peel, core, and cut apples into small cubes.
Place in a saucepan, cover with water up to half the apples' level, add sugar, cinnamon and vanilla essence and set to boil. At boiling point, bring heat to low and simmer until apples are tender.
The water should not evaporate - it will form a light syrup in the saucepan.
Take dough out of fridge. When you handle it, it should have the same texture and consistency as Play-Doh (so very easy to handle. This dough also doesn't break and flake off as usual pie doughs, which is the biggest nightmare of pie making, I admit)
Break into two balls - one is two-thirds of the dough, the other the remaining third.
Roll the bigger ball of dough out on a floured surface in a round (or somewhat round!) disk. Lift up and place in your pie dish. Prick with a fork all over the dough and bake blind in a moderately-hot pre-heated oven (200 degrees C, 425 degrees F).
Take pie dish out of the oven. Let cool slightly. Fill pie shell with the apples.
Roll out the remaining dough and cover the pie with this, making sure you seal the edges using pressure from your fingers.
Cut slits into the pastry top. Sprinkle with sugar (or if you want, some of that syrup from the apples if you have too much).
How was your weekend? Mine was pretty good. I had some family over on Saturday for tea (and no, there weren't any scones and clotted cream coz my scones always end up like flat brick slabs!). There was however an apple pie (recipe I'll share tomorrow), 2 types of muffins - date & apricot and choc chip/vanilla, as well the usual assortment of Indian fried savoury snacks (Madras curry potato dumplings - that's for another Tuesday's recipe, btw - and vegetable pakoras served with 2 types of chutney. What we call chutney in Indian traditional is not the sweet stuff of America. It's basically a dip involving chillies and either coriander/mint and tomatoes). I think it went well, coz all the food was eaten. :) It was good to see the kids get together (my two and my brother in law's four). Noise and fun - that was my Saturday. I didn't even feel tired.
Speaking of tired, I'm made to recall my teenage days lately. My whole family gave me 'grief' for being able to sleep 15 hours straight when I was a teen. I haven't done that in 10 years, and certainly not after my son was born (that over-enthusiastic morning tweeter). Still, lately, I'm getting tired and the only remedy to somewhat help with the fatigue is sleep. Indulged this weekend and found out I was no longer bumping into the corners of all the furniture and plates weren't slipping from my hands as easily as last week. So, yeah - felt a tad like a teenager again. Was tempted to resurrect my Goth dressing tendencies and my Rob Zombie, Rage Against The Machine and Marilyn Manson tracks (the ones where my mum asked whether they were singing or puking their guts out), but... *shame* they're on tapes! My son didn't even know what a tape was! MP3 all the way now... Talk of a tech divide!
Ah, last week - a total fiasco where time management was concerned. I made a resolution this week - to take the day as it comes and not try to push and tug everything on my agenda on every single day. Took that slant today and I do feel lighter. I'd allowed my email to accumulate during the weekend and I just sat down today and whittled through my inbox. Nothing more, nothing less. I don't feel like a train wreck at the end of the day now and I hope I'll be able to keep this up. Days for writing = writing, days for other things = other things. Is it really that simple?
I also decided I want to have at least one laugh per day. Had a spectacular one this morning - if I'd been eating or drinking at the time, well, let's just say my laptop would not be in functioning order any longer. What was so hilarious? Check this link about what every guy needs in his bathroom. I was like, there's not even that much stuff for me in my bathroom, now a bloke needs all this? Frankly, if I'm ever single again and I meet a guy who's got all this in his bathroom cabinet, I'm running away as fast as my legs can take me! Have a laugh, I swear it's well worth it. :)
I'm not one for making resolutions, not the New Year kind. I do decide to do things, achieve goals, etc, but that's a daily process. Everyday is a new day and what we make it to be.
Still, when I came upon this one, I so couldn't resist. Why? Because most of these resolutions can be taken and applied throughout the year, things we really want to do day in, day out. *husband's behind me* Uh, I'm definitely guilty of the trashy TV... We don't get the big US stuff here, but mind you, French TV is not that far behind the USA on junk TV (Dance Street, yes - I'm pinpointing you).
French - already know. Try to learn Italian/Spanish/German? Uh... not sure.
The rest - yes, does apply, in varying degrees. All but the last = totally doable. :)
Here goes! The article was up on MSN Lifestyle on January 1 this year, and is by Samantha Neal.
*****
5 New Year's Resolutions You Shouldn't Bother Making
Has "lose a few pounds" been one of your resolutions for three years running? Start the new year guilt-free by crossing it off your resolutions list. That one and...
By Samantha Leal "Stop watching trashy TV."
What kind of a resolution is this? Okay, so maybe if you think of LC (yeah, we're still calling her that) as your BFF and you feel like a lost sister to the Kardashian family (and write letters to the producers telling them so) you should dial it down. But come on, how awesome was it when Teresa flipped that table? And when Catelynn and Tyler got engaged? (By the way, if you understood those references, you don't have a shot at keeping this resolution anyway.)
"Finally learn French."
Not gonna happen.
"Make nice with my ex."
This one's a no-go for three reasons: 1) Just talking to your ex makes you want to vomit. 2) Telling your friends about this resolution will make them want to vomit. 3) Five years from now, telling the story of how you once made nice with your ex only to have him or her humiliate you in a crowded bar will make you want to vomit.
"Be more tolerant of family members."
Okay, so your goal is admirable -- but let's reword, shall we? "This year I will be more tolerant of family members...unless they say or do something really really dumb or annoying." That one's keep-able.
"Stop cursing."
F*** that.
We're kidding. If you swear like a sailor, it's probably a good idea to break out the old "curse jar." Put in a dollar every time you say a curse word. Then, at the end of each month, give the dough to your spouse or sister. Better yet, give it to charity. That'll make you feel okay about cursing.
Happy 2011! Oh yum, the new year is finally here. I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to this year. Why? Because it looks like it can be a new beginning...
I'm a firm believer in the thought that we can change our lives with every second that passes. But there's a great symbolism in attempting a twist and turn around the time a year changes. So I thought the passing into 2011 would be my time. The time to be me - the new 'me', that is.
What has she been up to, this new 'me'? Has she been able to achieve anything?
I usually start things all revved up and then go out of steam halfway. Tried to keep this at bay this time around and so far it seems to be working. Okay, you can tell me 'it's only 3 days into 2011, Zee' and shake your head like my son does, when he is trying to explain to his 'absolutely perky and girly-pink-loving brainless twit of a mother' something 'boy/manly and techie and just plain awesome that a girl can totally not understand' (forgive him, he's only 7.5 years old...). But no, I'm quite proud of myself, because this Zee is much more comfy in herself and doesn't hesitate to assert her needs and thoughts when necessary.
For example, I give myself a manicure when I want it, not when I can afford to find time for it.
I plan my stuff and make it happen - like I already have the school supplies' shopping done when all parents will hit the stores like mad this weekend to buy stuff at the last minute before school starts on Monday 10 (ah, bliss, here I come!!).
I am making my big boy laugh - doesn't matter how, whether 'accidentally on purpose' I play the ditz to his 'super brain', or I poke or tickle him at every opportunity. We're also talking more, even if hubby says that talk sounds like the prelude to WWIII at the diplomatic table... :)
I am more in tune with the man. Okay, I might concede that I am making good meals and even baking jaffa cakes for this absolute foodie. The end result though, what matters, is that even if I'm going through his stomach, I am conquering his heart all over again. Yes, peeps, my man is not a clone of George Clooney met Brad Pitt and Thomas Kretschmann along the way. He whines, he's got a horrible temper that makes me smash china on a regular basis in frustration, he moans as if on the brink of death the minute he starts to sniffle... but he is mine and I love him. What can I say? :) I'll do all I can to make him happy, because he makes me the happiest woman on Earth through the big, but mostly, the little, tiny things he does for me all the time.
Writing-wise, the new 'me' is doing better too. If she can afford to write, great. If she can't one day, no big deal. My motivation is there, and I'm getting the job done when I look over the goals at every weekend. 30 pages in 2 days, 30 pages in 6 days, 28 pages in 7 days - the job is getting done. Full stop. Quite proud of myself there!
Now, uh-oh, here comes the letdown... Exercise. I haven't done an ounce of exercise yet this year. I have big plans for this one though - Pilates for Abs workout using a ball (click here to see this one), treadmill walking, push-ups, stretches. All this on my agenda. I'm not giving up, will definitely aim to lose my jelly belly, up my fitness level, strengthen my upper body. Exercise will also help keep me healthy. Hopefully will have better results to show next week here.
Speaking of exercise and change, I am inspired a lot by this quest of an author I met and friended on FB, and whom I found out is an absolutely amazing lady. Author Beth Ciotta is starting a year-long non-fiction project, and her motivation and goals are all chronicled in this blog, The Year of Me, as she calls it. Pure inspiration - I urge you to drop by and encourage her on her journey. She is being a formidable booster and motivator for me this year.
So that's all for today (*finally*, I can hear you say, lol). What have you been up to in 2011, and how does this year look like for you?
Lol, not making much sense? I'm asking you to come enjoy yourself, sing a little, and make merry, but all in Hindi!
As most of you know by now, I write culture-based fiction with Mauritian culture as the base. But the thing is, the Mauritian culture I am most conversant with is the Indian culture, since my ancestors came from there. Indian-origin Mauritians are just another facet of the diaspora across the world.
It's no wonder that I'm a rabid fan of Indian movies, Bollywood as it's known. The particularity of these movies? They're almost always (99.9%) musicals. The soundtrack of a movie can make or break it, and sometimes the music is a hit while the movie is a flop.
I heard this song over the weekend and I immediately thought of the heroine in my current WIP. She too is a Desi Girl. That's the way of calling an Indian girl - desi being the adjective derived from the word des or desh, which means the homeland/motherland of India.
Listening to the lyrics and watching this clip was a load of fun! Here it is for you, and lo and behold, I even found translation for the lyrics (Courtesy of http://www.bollyfm.net/).
The clip is from the movie Dostana. The story basically is about the two blokes (Abhishek Bachan, who wears the black waistcoat, and John Abraham, the other hunk who happens to be a former Indian supermodel converted to acting) and this girl (Priyanka Chopra, former Miss India and Miss World). Set in Miami, the two guys are looking for the perfect flat, which they do find. The catch - the landlady has her niece coming over to stay in the flat across the landing (Priyanka) and doesn't want to let the flat to 2 blokes. In order to get the flat, the guys pretend they're a gay couple. Everyone thinks they're an item, including Priyanka, but each is trying everything to make her fall for him! Needless to say, there's laughter galore in this one!
Now check the clip, and jhoome aur nach kare!
Side note - Priyanka is wearing a sari in there, which traditionally is wrapped around the legs and tied around the hips, below the navel. See why Indian girls need hips, a little belly flab, and love handles? Or else their saris won't hold on flat, non-existent hips!
Second side note - John Abraham (the one in the dark grey, opened shirt), is the man I see when I close my eyes and picture the second man in the love triangle I have set up in the WIP! :)
These are the lyrics, with the translation:
Translated Lyrics
Male:
My Desi Girl
My Desi Girl
Girl Girl Girl Girl……
My Desi Girl
My Desi Girl
Girl Girl Girl Girl……
Jhoomka Girade
(IF) SHE DROPS HER DANGLING EARRINGS
Jo Mila Le Agar Woh Nazar Se Nazar Mitade
(IF) SHE MEETS YOUR GLANCE, SHE'LL DESTROY YOU
Nachke Dikhade
(IF) SHE DANCES
Sabki Dhadhkan Bhi Kadam Se Kadam Milade
EVERYONES HEARTBEATS WILL MATCH HER FOOTSTEPS
Verse 1:
Lehron Se Chal Ke Jaal Bicha De
SHE'LL WALK ON WAVES AND SET A TRAP
Dil Ko Ye Behaal Banade:
SHE'LL UNREST YOUR HEART
Saare Deewane Maane
ALL THE CRAZED ONES BELIEVE
Na Dekhi Koi Aisi Girl
THEY'VE NEVER SEEN SUCH A GIRL
Na Dekhi Koi Aisi Girl
THEY'VE NEVER SEEN SUCH A GIRL
Chorus:
Dekhi Lakh Lakh Pardesi Girl
I'VE SEEN A MILLION FOREIGN GIRLS
Ain’t Nobody Like My Desi Girl
AIN'T NOBODY LIKE MY INDIAN GIRL
Dekhi Lakh Lakh Pardesi Girl
I'VE SEEN A MILLION FOREIGN GIRLS
Sab Toh Soni Na Saadi Desi Girl
EVERYONE IS PRETTY BUT THE SIMPLEST IS INDIAN GIRL
Who’s The Hottest Girl In The World
My Desi Girl
My Desi Girl
Thumka Lagaike She’ll Rock Your World
WITH A HIP THRUST (AS IN A DANCE), SHE'LL ROCK YOUR WORLD
My Desi Girl
My Desi Girl
My Desi Girl
My Desi Girl
Verse 2:
Ade Kamar Pe Jo Nazar
IF YOU GLANCE AT HER WAIST
Saare Saapnon Mein Rang Bhar Jaaye
ALL YOUR DREAMS WILL BE FILLED WITH COLOR
Jo Tham Le Woh Haath Toh
IF SHE HOLDS YOUR HAND
Huske Hi Aashiq Mar Jaayein
THE LOVER WILL DIE SMILING
Female:
Dhoondon Jahan Mein Chahe Kahin
NO MATTER WHERE YOU SEARCH IN THE WORLD
Na Tumko Milegi Koi Aisi Girl
YOU FILL NOT FIND SUCH A GIRL
Male:
Dekhi Lakh Lakh Pardesi Girl
Ain’t Nobody Like My Desi Girl
Dekhi Lakh Lakh Pardesi Girl
Sab Toh Soni N Saadi Desi Girl
Who’s The Hottest Girl In The World
My Desi Girl
My Desi Girl
Thumka Lagaike She’ll Rock Your World
My Desi Girl
My Desi Girl
My Desi Girl
My Desi Girl
Girl Girl Girl Girl……
Female:
Jahan Jahan Bhi Jau Main
WHEREVER I GO
Saari Nazrein Toh Peche Peche Aiye
ALL EYES FOLLOW ME
Ruku Zara Mein Jo Yahan
IF I STOP FOR A WHILE HERE
Thandi Thandi Saari Saase Tham Jaye
EVERYONE HEAVES A COLD SIGH
Sabki Nigahon Ne Hai Kaha
EVERYONE'S EYES HAVE SAID
Ke Khwaabon Mein Hai Dekhi Meri Jaisi Girl
THAT IN THEIR DREAMS THEY'VE SEEN A GIRL LIKE ME
Meri Jaisi Girl
A GIRL LIKE ME
Dekhi Lakh Lakh Pardesi Girl
Ain’t Nobody Like A Desi Girl
Dekhi Lakh Lakh Pardesi Girl
Sab Toh Soni Lagdi Desi Girl
Who’s The Hottest Girl In The World
Male:
My Desi Girl
My Desi Girl
Female:
Thumka Lagaike She’ll Rock Your World
Male:
My Desi Girl
My Desi Girl
Jhoomka Girade
Jo Mila Le Agar Woh Nazar Se Nazar Mitade
Nachke Dikhade
Sabki Dhadhkan Bhi Kadam Se Kadam Milade
Lehron Se Chaal Ke Jaal Bicha De
Dil Ko Yu Behaal Banade
Saare Deewane Maane
Na Dekhi Koi Aisi Girl
Na Dekhi Koi Aisi Girl
Dekhi Lakh Lakh Pardesi Girl
Ain’t Nobody Like My Desi Girl
Dekhi Lakh Lakh Pardesi Girl
Sab Toh Soni N Saadi Desi Girl
Who’s The Hottest Girl In The World
My Desi Girl
My Desi Girl
Thumka Lagaike She’ll Rock Your World
My Desi Girl
My Desi Girl
Whenever you hear 'hospital' in a sentence, you know you're gonna be losing more than a few hours while your butt flattens on the real-hard wood benches. Lost the whole morning to a routine appointment at the government hospital. Free healthcare, but the price comes in the form of your time and sanity. Wanna people-watch? Go to a Mauritian hospital. Everything and anything there - you're bound to come out inspired - if any notion makes it past your ringing, frying-on-the-spot brain.
Positive of the experience - shut yourself out of the crowd like a snobby biatch while you clutch your qwerty phone and will inspiration to come. Result of the 2-hours of waiting while sitting in the waiting room (not counting the additional 30-45 minutes of standing outside the doctor's office) = some 1,500 words clocked down in really awkward typo-filled and missing-punctuation Word document.
Another good-flip side of a hospital appointment - hubby takes the day off to come with me. I know, sweet of him. I'm keeping him, yeah! :)
That being said, we don't often get a day/half-day together, alone without the nutty kids. A fave pastime of ours is to hit little known eateries. Went to one today, and it was simply di-vin-ne!!
The place is SubExpress located at Phoenix Les Halles, an upscale shopping mall located pretty much in the middle of the island. I must've eaten the best merguez lamb and steak-and-cheese sub ever. Fresh bread, crisp salad on the meat, a really generous hand with the sauces and cheese, and all for about a hundred bucks (that's $4 for you Americans!). Not what we'd call cheap here, but definitely value for money coz the stuff was delicious! Not to mention that it's got this swanky chic cafe atmosphere, and it serves a heavenly iced latte that's to die for! Any Mauritians reading this, go there ASAP! You won't be disappointed! The eatery is located right next to Bella Donna on the mall's ground level.
Grocery shopping on a Monday - bliss! You can zip around the aisles at ease, no one blocking the way, and there's a dearth of check-out counters waiting for you when you're done! Parking too is a breeze.
Note to self - try to coincide shopping on weekdays, morning or midday.
Shopping 'fiasco' - 2 weeks ago, I got kiddo a pair of sandals. Ergonomic shape, health soles that have a chamois-type fabric on them, soft and malleable fabric on the top to secure the foot in place, with velcro to adjust the hold. The best part - kiddo wore it to a birthday outing where he must've run around and played ball nonstop for over 2 hours. The result was, not a single blister on his soles! I knew I had a keeper in those shoes.
When I tell this to hubby, he goes, "any chance there's the grown-up version of these sandals?" Actually, there is. He gets himself a pair too.
Now these sandals look great! And they feel awesome too. Needless to say, I'm jealous by now. I want my own pair too! Today we head back to this shop (Mr Price at Phoenix Les Halles, in case the Mauritians wanna know). The sandals are actually in the menswear section, but some models are unisex. Found a really cool and swanky pair - lavender-coloured soles and white criss-cross straps. The bummer - it's a size 7 (at which, apparently, adult sizes start). There's at least 2 inches gaping behind my heel when I try it on.
You know what I had to do? Find a pair of sandals in the children's section! Sheesh! Goodness, I know I'm short and of petite stature, but to 'rub it in' like this? Did manage to land a pair of black straps with a one-inch platform wedge heel, looks really good too.
Exiting the store, I take a quick peek to the ladies' section... and would you believe it? The size of clothes I can wear is in the 7-14 years old section... enough said, innit... *bwahaha*
Hope you've had a less nutty start of the week. Oh yes, I'm writing again!
Sometimes taking a break is a good thing. Almost like coffee left to percolate, a break for the mind is just what the writing doctor might prescribe.
Why am I saying this? Well, I haven't added much in terms of words to my current WIP. Let me help you recall - it's a women's fiction that, to me, is screaming 'soap opera/telenovella meets Zee Network series' on paper. Complicated? You dunno the half of it!
Taken by studies, personal life, a slightly sick man who thinks he'll die from a small stomach cramp, and my own brush and nearly-lost battle against a cold bug and a stomach bug - percolating is the best thing my mind has been allowed to do.
But all good things have flip sides. Case in point - I already have my outline down for the supposed-90K of this ms. I know what is supposed to happen, and how. Guess my brain didn't get the memo that the outline was done, because over the past week, it's come up with a totally novel and un-thought-of scene that hadn't driven by when I was outlining. This one happens at Chapter 5, 2 chapters from where I stand right now, and it kinda moves Chapter 5 a bit on its axis because the original Chapter 5 has an element that is supposed to play a big part in the love story later on. Right now, I've got a disgruntled potential boyfriend and love interest needing to apologize, a stepmother who, in the heroine's mind, is hovering between wicked stepmom from fairy tales and socialite who couldn't care any less, an overwhelming stepbrother, a biatchy stepsister, a liver pate, and a sexy motorbike screaming to be squeezed into that one additional scene.
Crazy? You bet! The wackiest is that it doesn't seem that far-fetched once you 'see' the scene playing out. I've even got the dialogue down and can so see it all clock in and fit in the bigger scheme of things!
So what should I do - curse my percolating brain, or celebrate its inventiveness?
Jury's still out on whether my sanity is around or AWOL, btw...
Looking forward to a weekend that will hopefully help me make sense of it all. Got a treat in the sidelines - Mixed Doubles by Jill Mansell waiting to be devoured!
Last Friday I promised the recipe of the dessert I was making and taking to my mom's place for dinner. Well, here it is today! The recipe I use for Ras Malai.
Now Ras Malai is traditionally a Bengali sweet dish (originally from Bengal, South-East India. Coincidentally, my dad's family hails from there, the city of Kolkata - Calcutta in the past). But ras malai is also very popular all over India and Pakistan, a favourite sweet dish and dessert of all the Indian Diaspora around the world too.
I got this recipe from my aunt, who is a Pakistani native. The one she makes is the complicated one using curdled milk, but I use a milk powder paste which is easier. I'll add the curd version too. So here it is:
Ras Malai
Ingredients (makes about a 5-liter casserole dish of dessert)
For the 'malai koftas' (those small floating islands!)
1 cup milk powder
1 large egg
a pinch of baking powder
For the 'ras' (thick cream in which the little islands will float)
4 cups water
2 cups milk powder
2 Tablespoons sugar
A pinch of cardamon powder/ground cardamom
A few drops vanilla essence
1/2 cup sliced almonds/pistachios (optional. I don't add these in mine coz I'm allergic to nuts)
1 can/300 ml evaporated milk
2 Tablespoons custard powder (or any other thickener such as cornstarch or tapioca powder. Custard is best though)
1 small can/125 g thick dairy cream
100 grams sugar
Method:
- Place water, milk powder, sugar, cardamon powder, vanilla essence and almonds/pistachios in a deep pan. Bring to a boil, lower heat until the mixture barely simmers.
- Mix milk powder with baking powder and the egg until it forms a thick, cloying ball.
- Taking two teaspoons, form small balls of milk powder/egg mixture and place in the boiling milk. Allow the balls to puff up until they resemble fluffy little clouds (usually 8-10 minutes). Remove 'clouds' with a strainer, place in a deep bowl. Tip to make the balls - take a teaspoon, scoop half-teaspoon size of the paste, using the other teaspoon scrape and roll until the little ball is formed (exacly like what you do with spoons and ice cream).
This amount of paste should give you about 20-25 small balls or more. Boil only 10 or less at one time so they all have space to expand in the pan.
- Once all the balls have been turned into clouds, pour a third of the boiling milk mixture into the bowl holding the 'clouds'.
- Return remaining milk in pan to the boil. Add evaporated milk and remaining sugar (you can use less or more sugar if you want). Stir and cook over low, simmering heat until the mixture starts to thicken.
- Dilute custard powder (or other starch) with a few Tablespoons of water and add to the milk. The cream should thicken more now.
- Remove from heat. Stir in the dairy cream.
- You can already mix the 'ras' (cream) with the 'koftas' (clouds) and place in the refrigerator. Or you can place both dishes in the fridge and mix/assemble just before serving.
- This dish should be served chilled. Place a few slices of almond/pistachio on each 'cloud' for garnish. You can also add a few strands of fragrant saffron.
My aunt makes the traditional Ras Malai using curdled milk. She boils milk, when it's boiling, she adds lemon juice to it. Once the milk curdles, she strains in into a thin cloth and lets the curd hang for at least 4 hours. She then makes little balls using the curd which she uses in place of the milk powder/egg mixture I use.
Another good tip for this recipe is it makes delicious ice cream! I often make this dish in summer and freeze the 'ras' (cream) in small tubs or in popsicle moulds. My kids love this treat!
There you are - Ras Malai as we have it at my place! Enjoy!
