“All the boys think she's a spy she's got Bette Davis eyes”

Thursday, February 21, 2008

She's ferocious and she knows just what it takes to make a pro blush
She's got Greta Garbo stand-off sighs
She's got Bette Davis eyes

Can you believe my lil sis is turning 24 today!! When I was 4 ½ years old, I vaguely remember my pregnant mom asking me if I wanted a brother or a sister. And I specifically remember demanding a brother. When asked why, I said “I don’t want to share my clothes with a lil sister”. Well my mom didn’t agree with my reasoning and I was forced to the idea of a lil sis who cried all night, craved my moms’ attention 24/7 and only wanted to play with dolls and make believe house. I on the other hand was a pure Tomboy. Today all our differences has not only made us good sisters but best friends as well. I have never been ashamed to admit that my younger sis has always been the more mature one out of the two of us. She is always the one with a strong head on her shoulders, the one who is always neutral during any family feud and absolutely loyal to her friends and family. She never makes hasty decisions, incredibly patient and is unbelievably talented!! I am almost envious of her genius and yet shamelessly advertise her forte everywhere :o) I have always felt that I can be myself around her without worrying about her judging me or criticizing me… unless I’m making dreadful choices in my life….then she will never hesitate to whack me on the head and tell it as is. So cheers to you Mzswats….HAPPY BIRTHDAY sweetie! I will try my hardest to be the “bestest big sister” possible ;o) “try” being the operative word hehe.

Ahh Typical swats. Would you trust a baby sitter sippin beer while playing with the kids? hehe

Now on to the foodie portion of this blog entry. Bhatji and I love spicy food. The more green and red chilies in a dish, the better. If you love hot and spicy food like we do and live or visited NYC then you probably have heard/tried the food at Kati Roll Company or Mamoun’s Falafel. Kati Roll is known for its Frankie style wraps where they make it spicy as per your taste and Mamoun’s makes yummy Falafel sandwiches but it’s their kick ass hot sauce that makes them stand out from other Falafel vendors. We don’t really go to NYC once Bhatji gets home from work unless we have plans to meet up with friends or a show to catch etc. So this past weekend when Bhatji had a hankering for Kati Roll, I decided to make our own version at home. In the past I have made Kati roll combining 3 different recipes but I wanted to try a new version of the recipe with Shrimp. So here is my recipe for Spicy Garlic & Ginger Shrimp Roll.

Ingredients:
½ lb of shrimp (peeled and deveined)
2 tbl spn of olive oil
3-4 medium sized wheat tortillas or rotis
1 small onion diced
1 tbl spn ginger paste
3 cloves of garlic finely diced
½ tsp of turmeric powder
½ tsp of garlic powder
1 tsp of chili powder
3 tbl spn of soy sauce
Salt to taste
A few drops of lemon juice (garnish)
½ tsp of red chili pepper flakes (garnish)
A few chopped scallions (garnish)

To make:
Marinate the shrimp in the chili powder, turmeric powder and garlic powder in the fridge for about 30 mins. Heat 1 tbl spn of oil and on med heat fry the shrimp until it is well cooked in the marinate juice and set aside. Heat another tbl spn of oil and fry the onions until it is browned. Add the ginger and garlic and mix well into the onions, fry for about 3-4 mins. Add the cooked shrimp and soy sauce to the pan and blend well. Cook for about 4 mins and take off heat. Add the lemon juice on to the shrimp mixture as per your taste. On a flat tortilla, place the cooked shrimp mixture in a straight line in the center of the tortilla. Garnish the shrimp with a few chopped scallions, red chili pepper flakes and more lemon juice if you want and it is ready to be devoured!

This dish satisfied both our cravings for spicy Kati roll without actually travelling into the city. It makes for a great dinner or a filling snack. And it goes great with a cold beer :o) Well until the next scrumptious blog entry…..eat, drink and……umm celebrate birthday’s ;o)
PS (Mzswats. The song is dedicated to your compulsive love for this record when you were a kid hehe. Enjoy!)
PPS (Swats...plz dont kill me for using the pic. I know we were at a party and you weren't really baby sitting but its a funny thought and I couldn't help myself hehe)