“Do you got what it takes to set me free…Oh you could mean everything to me”

Wednesday, February 7, 2007

I can't say that I'm not lost and at fault
I can't say that I don't love the light and the dark
I can't say that I don't know that I am alive
And all of what I feel I could show
You tonite


Last night after enduring the frigid temperature on my commute home from my work, all I wanted to do was lay on the sofa with a blankey and drink soup. Alas that was not possible, since I had taken Sunday and Monday as my days off from working out, I had to visit the gym, followed by 20 mins of Denise Austin. By the way, I recommend Denise Austin’s “Hit the spot Pilates” to all my female friends. The Pilates exercises are great for trouble areas for most women such as abs, waist, hips, buns and thighs. Anyway by the time I finished my grueling long work out, it was 8.15 PM! And I had a hungry husband to feed who was studying away for his countless upcoming tests and papers. I figured that I whatever I would cook would have to be quick…Lord knew that soon enough his hunger pangs would start to show. So after looking through the fridge I decided to make Beans saru upkari and Potato and bell pepper upkari. This would not only be easy but a very healthy, vegetarian meal. And did I mention a very Konkani meal:o)

Ingredient for Beans saru upkari:
1) Canned black beans
2) 4-5 cloves of peeled garlic cloves
3) 3-4 dry red chillies
4) One can of water (you can use the same can as the black beans)
5) 2 tsp of oil
6) Salt to taste

To make:
Heat the oil in a sauce pan. Add garlic and fry till a little brown. Then add the red chillies and fry for about a minute. Add the can of black beans, followed by a can of water, add salt to taste. When it comes to a boil, turn off heat and serve on white rice.


Ingredients for Potato and Bell pepper upkari:
1) 3-4 medium sized potatoes
2) 2 green and/or red bell peppers
3) Sambhar powder 1 tsp
4) Oil 1 tsp
5) Cumin seeds(jeera) 1 tsp
6) Turmeric a pinch
7) Tamarind pulp 1 tsp
8) Chilli powder ½ tsp
9) Garlic power ½ tsp
10) Salt to taste


To make:
Boil the potatoes in a microwave for about 6-8 mins. Cut the potatoes and bell peppers into long thin pieces. Heat the oil and the cumin seeds. When you hear the jeera splutter add the potatoes and fry for about 3-4 mins. Then add the bell peppers and turmeric close the pan with a lid and cook for about 8 mins. Once the vegetables appear a little brown and tender, add the sambhar powder, tamarind pulp, chilli powder, garlic powder and salt. Cook for another 4-5 mins, remove from heat and serve as a side dish with the saru upkari.

I serve Limbiya nonche (lemon pickle) with dinner and it was absolutely yummy! While relaxing and watching TV during dinner, we happened to look out and it was snowing! Don’t you love winter? I love winter when I am indoors, eating a hot meal under some blankets with the husband :o)

“I, I'm so in love with you… Whatever you want to do is all right with me”

Monday, February 5, 2007

'Cause you make me feel so brand new
And I want to spend my life with you


Man oh man...its soooo cold!!! I mean with wind chill factor it feels like -2 degrees right now! I mean I know I was missing winter..but geez it’s too cold to even sit near a window. BRRR. But instead of sitting indoors all weekend, I decided to endure the cold and get a little retail therapy. Ms. Pai and I went to tysons corner, got a hearty meal and then we got down to business. On sat night, Hubby dear and I met with some JHU friends at Play for some drinking and dancing. The big negative of the night…paying $30 to get in! and the place was wayyy to crowded. All in all…both of us have decided never to go back to Play. The positive…we both had a great buzz going and then we got PRINCE! YUMMS!
And I got SOME time on the dance floor. Super bowl Sunday we went to my mama’s house for pizza and beer. My lil cousins and I made plans to watch “The sisterhood of traveling pants” a very cute coming of age movie. And oh yea the colts won….I don’t know much, but I know that Hubby was rooting for them and their winning put a big cheesy smile on his face…or maybe that was the beer. Regardless, we had a fun super bowl Sunday. Let’s wind back to Friday so I can share my kati roll recipe with you folks! Yep another recipe that put a smile on hubbys face. I combine part of Nupur's recipe and my moms chutney recipe to make these similar to the NYC style kati rolls.

Ingredients for the wrap:
4 wheat tortillas
2 eggs

Ingredients for the filling:
1 red pepper
2 small onions
1 cup of cooked pre cooked chicken (got from Costco)
2 tsp chaat masala
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp red chilli powder
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

Ingredients for the chutney:
½ bunch mint
½ bunch of cilantro
juice of two lemons
½ small red onion
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
¼ cup of water
2 tsp garlic & ginger paste
2 small green chilies chopped

To make the chutney:
Take all the ingredients that I have listed for the chutney except the water and make a paste in the blender. Add the water and once it starts to have a chutney like consistency, the chutney is ready.

To make the filling:
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan. Fry the pepper and chicken till browned and crispy.
Remove pan from heat. To the pepper and chicken, add the chopped onion, lemon juice, chaat masala, red chilli powder, salt, pepper and mix well.

To make the wrap:
Beat the eggs with some salt and pepper and set aside
Heat a tortilla in a non-stick pan
Ladle some egg on the tortilla and spread on only one side of the tortilla.
Overturn the tortilla to cook the egg
Remove from pan
With the eggy side of the tortilla facing upwards, ladle the chutney all around the tortilla
Position the filling in the center of the tortilla and roll like a burrito.

This amount in this recipe makes 4 kati rolls. For those who are vegetarian, you can replace the chicken with 2 boiled potatoes. You can do without the eggs too but the authentic kati roll places including the famous Kati roll in NYC uses eggs on their parathas/tortillas.

Until the next blather…Stay Warm.

“I wonder How it's going to be, when you don't know me; How's it going to be…”

Friday, February 2, 2007

"When you're sure I'm not there
How's it going to be
When there is no one to talk to, between you and me
'Cause I don't care
How's it going to be"

I’m really tired today. I am tired of feeling disparaged. The thing that is the most frustrating is, I don’t know if I am being patronized or if it is all in my head. Swatz and I talk about this quite a bit; about how certain humors and tones irk us. I have been told by a few close friends that I tend to be overtly sensitive. Maybe...maybe not. I feel though the things that annoy me the most are a fairly basic list of impolite norm.
1) Humor that picks on peoples flaws, mistakes; victimizing someone for a joke is just not funny.
2) Talking down to a grown up as if they were children. Age has no barrier when it comes to giving a little respect during conversations.
3) Projecting work or personal frustration towards someone who should not be dealing with it. In fact no one should be dealing with it but you.
4) Tuning a person out who is trying to have a genuine conversation with you…that’s just disrespectful. Don’t waste your time and don’t waste theirs.
Who knows maybe the list above is not considered bad manners at all. And perhaps I do need to grow a thicker skin. After all that was one of my resolutions this year; to be more positive and not host ill feelings towards people who have their own way of expressing themselves…no matter how indecorous. I’ll say this much though…it is damn hard to be the bigger person.

On a more non-rant topic…Finally, it’s the weekend. Not just any weekend but the Super Bowl weekend. I will be running more errands and I have planned to cook up a storm. What does this mean for you? It means you will be reading foodie entries (including pics) the next few days. I am also looking forward to hang out with my young cousins during the game (I couldn’t care less who wins. Yes that’s right, I said it. Please send your comments to: I don’t care dotcom) and soak up some much needed Disney movie marathon. Super bowl to me is just about the food and the commercials. Yep I am indeed mentally 5 years old. Thanks!

“I don't care what you might think about me; you can vibe without me if you want”

Thursday, February 1, 2007

“If we never get down it wouldn't be a let down
But sugar don't forget what you already know
I could be the one to turn you on
We could be the talk across the town
Don't judge me by the color, confuse it for another
You might regret what you let slip away”


I was just telling the husband that I have lost all concepts of weekdays and weekends. Why, you ask? Well....during the weekdays I work and the weekends too I work. No, I did not get a second job. Running a household is a job! And don’t you forget it. I am beginning to realize, never to undermine a true housewife’s work. I guess I would categorize myself as a modern day woman, living a blended lifestyle of a career woman and a housewife. I work 40 hours a week, give or take a few hours between the low and high govt. budget periods. I come home and I have someone to feed, I have laundry to do, the dishes won’t clean themselves and neither will the apt. In the midst of all the chaos of house chores, there are bills that need to be paid, social obligations with friends and family and I have to somehow maintain my good streak of working out. Whew! Even with the few free minutes that Amit gets in between his demanding school schedule and work days to help out around the house, I still spend my weekend’s grocery shopping, cleaning the house etc. There was a time when I would dance my weekend away; Dance was my passion, my escape; Of course my new life called for a new passion and it looks like cooking has turned into my new fervor. Looking up recipes, altering it to my taste and playing spices have become my new obsession. It is the best feeling when the dish turns out lip-smacking and leaves Amit wanting more. I must say the old adage “A way to a man’s heart is through his stomach” is in fact factual. One great meal = attention showering, errands running, TLC giving, one very happy man! Here is a very easy and yummy Konkani breakfast/snack. One of Amit’s and my favorites:

Bread Upkari




Ingredients:
1) 6 – 8 slices of bread (wheat bread is healthier)
2) 2-3 tsp of ghee
3) 1 tsp mustard seeds
4) 1 tsp urad daal
5) 1 tsp red chilli powder
6) 1 spring curry leaves
7) 3 green chillies chopped
8) 1 tbsp sugar
9) Salt to taste

To make:
Tear bread slides into pieces
In a pan heat ghee and add the mustard seeds, urad daal, curry leaves, green chillies and fry for about 1-2 mins
Add the bread pieces, ½ tsp of ghee, red chilli powder, sugar and salt.
Once the bread pieces start browning, mix well and serve with tea or coffee.
Until the next ranting...Happy Cooking :o)
PS (Yay! Ilan wins Top Chef. Swati must be rejoicing)

 
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