Chicken Soup for My Soul

Read “A Whisper in the dark” by Louisa May Alcott.  It was published last year as it was denied publication in her lifetime.  these adult fiction stories are very different from her previous/more popular works ( children’s classics) but are still very engaging, infact very sensational even for this day and age. Most of the stories have characters which defy the usual moral high-ground and at times, reflect her yearning for an adventurous and high society life. Well, she wrote my first favourite book - little women …it is still one of my favorites. And i know I am not the only one……

Unaccustomed earth - another book by Khumpa Lahiri….yet another simple, eloquent and well narrated story in her typical bengali family setting. Though, one might sit and wonder if lahiri is capable of writing something other than stories about middle-class- bengali -immigrants….there is no doubt that the she is best when it comes to writing immigrant stories. The confusion, the conflict, the problems they face…their journeys , their lives, their emotions. narration is lucid while the language is simple - in signature lahiri style. the stories are good and they dont leave you feeling like you hav been cut off midway or left in the cold , like most short stories. it is a good read …worth buying - buy it from amazon and l save yourself some money.

The weekend is here -  we all look forward to it , dont we….I do, too ! But by the end of the weekend, there is a feeling of being cheated by it…not getting enough of it. On sunday eve, all of us r irritable …one didn’t get to go out much, one didn’t get to rest…n’ so on….

So, I though this weekend ( before it commences…) let me chalk out what I want out of it.

I want to watch a (good) movie !

take a kid to someplace nice - circus / park / amusement park

do something nice / new - maybe play tennis (weather permitting)…

place a few important phone calls….

and spend lots of timing lazing around with my little one….treat her with a bubble bath

hope i haven’t listed too many things in my itinerary. goodluck to me………….!!!

Have a good weekend !

well, not so bad afterall….the day staggered…but got decent as it progressed. The weather is good…we had a nice shower … everything is clean and earthy.  My daughter got home a mother’s day flower and other stuff she made for me at school. that helped to brighten it even more.

now i should get back to my article….or i’ll be cursing myself tomorrow !

I hate to wake up with a cluttered mind ! I dont know how I am feeling, how to start my day… the best thing to do is to cook…and tidy up. clean and tidy surroundings help me lighten up. My article hs been pending for sometime….maybe it is the burden of that unfinished project that is making me so irritable.

The month of May has started - almost half the year has gone by. This would be a good time to review my resolutions and take a reality check.

adios.

I really do need some chicken soup for my soul, today. How do you cope with caustic comments, constant comparisons and constant source of negativity around you? It just takes one person to ruin your day….herein, the problem lies with me not him. If i am firm, confident and rooted in my beliefs …then, no amount of deception can shake me. but still, it does spoil my mood and changes my track of thoughts….for the enitre day

Is there any way to keep yourself walled from unwanted thoughts … thoughts are inward process so , it might be in our hands to control them. it is rarely possible to take charge of external situtaions esp. when it includes other human beings …irrational ones.

the burden of wisdom is so heavy on my shoulders…I am the wise one….i should be the one to understand…to be patient, i should look for amicable solutions…it is so much easier to be crazy , insane….people dont like you - but they cant tell it to u on your face. They might create a scene and you might be branded - In sensitive …as for them …tsk, tsk - they are not in their real minds !!!!!  the burden of wisdom is alomst too much to bear !

Well, how often we eat ready made pasta from the grocery store and wish it had a litttle more flavour …also, when we go to a resturant …dont we always wish we it had a little bit less of this and just a tad more of that !!!

I make pasta at home …my own way….try it , you will be hooked.

Ingredients :

Take a cup full of pasta / macaroni …boil it till it is ‘Al Dente’ …drain and keep it aside…

Meanwhile, chop 1 medium sized onion and 1 medium sized green pepper / capsicum. also, crush , 2-3 garlic cloves, green chilli, some corriander (optional), sugar, salt, red chilli sauce/ red chilli paste, soy sauce, butter (optional), cheese, oil

Instructions:

Heat oil in a pan and saute onions and green pepper till onions becomes transparent.

Now add some chilli powder, garlic, green chilli ….saute for another minute or two.

Add macaroni/pasta…keep the heat on medium…put two tblsp of tomato puree, little sugar, salt, two tablsp of red chilli sauce, soy sauce…

Cook for another 3-4 minutes…till the liquids evaporate and you are left with  saucy-sticky macaroni…

Now serve and garnish with mozzeralla cheese or cow cheese….you may want to put some butter & corriander on top !

Relish !!

mmm….I love my pasta…….

Most of you must have noticed and used the dish rack under the oven…which slides out like a drawer ! Well, I had no idea that it was a storage area, I thought it had wires or something $#$%#.

I went to someone’s place and when she pulled it out ….and I was zapped to see that part of the oven slide out!! Now, I keep my pans in it…and also, the oven dishes.  As embarrassing as it was….to not know something so obvious, I couldn’t hide my delight (that I had found a place to keep my pans and baking dishes) when I came back home , I told my husband who too had no idea…he was equally surprised !!!!!! :-)))

I remember walking down the handicraft stalls in Dilli haat where we (my friends and I) use to hang around, till it was about to get dark ….and we would hurry back home. It was our favorate hangout…we used to talk about music, painting, issues, news and food. We would order the usual - 40 bucks a plate momos and fruit beer… and by the time we had our last sip of the fruit beer, somebody would start humming a beatles’ tune ……hmmmm

Well, so longgg……cant bring back the good’ol times but I surely know how to make those yummy, finger licking good momos. ..infact I think, I make them better.  My mom figured out a way to make them at home - and to our surprise it wasn’t difficult at all.  A special thanks to her !!

Here is the recipe - try it, you will love it.

You will need:

Minced chicken - 2 cups full (If you dont find / have minced chicken , then, cook the chicken pieces you have - in a shallow pan with little oil. Cover and cook until tender. Separate the chicken from the bone. Chop the chicken into tiny pieces.

Ginger & garlic minced - 2 teaspoon or ginger garlic paste - 1 teaspoon

Salt to taste

Red chilli sauce - 2 tablespoon (less if u want it to be mild)

Green chilli sauce 1 tablespoon

Red chilli powder - 1 teaspoon

Chopped Onions and Green pepper - 2 to 3 tablespoons

All purpose flour - 2 cups

Oil - 2 teaspoon for dough and another 2 tblspoon

1. Mix all purpose flour with oil and salt. Knead with warm water. Cover and put aside.

2. Put some oil in a pan, add Green pepper and onions. cook until onions become transparent. Add ginger - garlic and chilli powder. Cook for two minutes and add chicken, salt. cover and cook for 6-7 minutes. Cook longer if you are using raw minced  chicken.  Add the sauces and cook for another minute …let it cool.

3. Roll out dough around 4″ in diameter - not too thick neither very thin ( like a poori) , put some chicken in the center ( 1 tablespoon), bring the ends together and seal it from the top. Bring all of it together like a bag and make sure you seal the ends properly. Dip you fingers in water and run through the inner side of the ‘bag’ and then, seal it tightly.

4. Arrange momos in rice cooker, in an idli maker, in a pressure cooker ( using a jaali or idle maker) or in the microwave and steam for 10-15 minutes…it takes less time in the microwave. Seve with chilli sauce / ketchup.

Love, love me do.
You know I love you,
I’ll always be true,
So please, love me do.
Whoa, love me do.

Love, love me do.
You know I love you,
I’ll always be true,
So please, love me do.
Whoa, love me do.
Yeah, love me do.
Whoa, oh, love me do