Friday 23 December 2011

India

MY CRAVING FOR INDIA IS OVER.  IT WAS ONLY A 10 DAY EXPERIENCE BUT AT LEAST IT'S DONE.  ANOTHER COUNTRY TO TICK OFF ON THE LIST OF "COUNTRIES TO SEE BEFORE I DIE".

I TOOK A HEAP OF PHOTOS, IT WAS HARD TO CHOOSE THE FAVOURITES.  I'M ONLY GOING TO SHARE THE ONES I THINK REFLECT THE ABSOLUTE BEST OF INDIA..
  
T H E  C H I L D R E N 


T H E  F O O D

 

T H E  T A J


THE PLACE IS A TREAT. THE FOOD IS AUTHENTIC AND SATISFYING.  I DIDN'T EAT MEAT FOR THE WEEK (TO STEER CLEAR OF DELHI BELLY) AND DIDN'T FEEL AS THOUGH I WAS MISSING OUT AT ALL.  THEY'RE SO CLEVER WITH THEIR MEAT ALTERNATIVES.  ALL OF THEIR MEALS ARE CREATIVE AND NUTRITIOUS. THE INDIANS ARE SO WELL BALANCED WHEN IT COMES TO FOOD. I LEARNED A LOT FROM THEM..

A  FEW MONTHS BEFORE THE TRIP I FOUND OUT ABOUT JYOTI AGARWAL.  SHE LIVES IN DELHI AND TAKES A COOKING CLASSES, TEACHING YOU TO COOK AUTHENTIC, INDIAN MEALS.  WE SPENT THE DAY WITH HER, LEARNING TO COOK AND TRAWLING THE LOCAL SPICE MARKET.  IT WAS SUCH A COOL THING TO DO (IF YOU'RE HEADING TO INDIA, DELHI IN PARTICULAR, I'D DEFINITELY HIT HER UP). 

A BUNCH OF THE RECIPES SHE TAUGHT US WERE SIMPLE AND MOST WERE KID FRIENDLY.  YOU CAN MAKE THEM SPICY, OR NOT SO, ACCORDING TO YOUR TASTE (OR WHO YOU'RE SERVING THEM TO). 

MORE THAN HAPPY TO SHARE A FEW..


T I K K I  W I T H  P E A S
 
I N G R E D I E N T S

5 potatoes boiled and grated
2-3 slices of bread (crumbled) or bread crumbs
All spice powder and grated ginger
Salt to taste
Boiled peas for filling

1. Mix the potatoes in the white cumbled bread
2. Season with grated ginger and garam masala (if appropriate + spices you enjoy)
3. Mix all together
4. Make balls of the potato mixture
5. Boil peas with salt and season with all spice powder
6. Flatten the balls, fill it with pea mixture and cover it
7. Shallow or deep fry or grill (if frying use a light oil like soya bean or sunflower)

V A R I A T I O N

Instead of peas use any cheese, minced meat, chicken, vegetables etc. 

SUCH A SIMPLE SNACK AND SO INCREDIBLY TASTY..


L E N T I L  D A L  ( Y E L L O W )

I N G R E D I E N T S

Yellow lentils
1 onion (chopped)
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 inch piece grated or sliced ginger
salt to taste

1. Boil all together till the dal becomes soft
2. Flambe' with hot ghee mixed with red chillies (if you want it spicy)

V A R I A T I O N

You can use any type of lentils and add tomatoes, garlic and green coriander

SO SIMPLE AND SO GOOD FOR YOU..


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Monday 31 October 2011

1 year later

GABE WAS BORN ON OCTOBER 21ST, A YEAR AGO.  TIME FLIES.  I'VE BEEN INTENDING TO GET THIS BLOG UP AND RUNNING FOR ALMOST A YEAR NOW.  THE JOYS OF MOTHERHOOD - GETTING NOTHING DONE.  OR GETTING EVERYTHING DONE - IF IT RELATES TO "HIS HIGHNESS".

EVEN NOW, I'M TYPING OUT THIS BLOG POST AT SUPER HIGH SPEED, IN THE HOPE THAT MY LITTLE MAN DOESN'T CUT HIS MEASLY, HOUR LONG NAP, DOWN TO ANY SHORTER THAN IT ALREADY IS.

SO GABE'S BIRTHDAY WAS A TREAT.  I TOOK HIM TO BREAKY WITH TWO OF HIS GODMOTHERS (HE HAS FOUR.  HIS DAD AND I COULDN'T BARE TO CULL!) 
HE ALSO HAD HIS FIRST PHOTO SHOOT.  A PORTRAIT SESSION WHICH INCLUDED THE BIRTHDAY BOY, HIS NANI & ME.  WE ALSO LET HIM GET MESSY WITH A CAKE SMASH (BASICALLY, THIS WAS JUST GABE GOING NUTS WITH HIS 1ST BIRTHDAY CAKE - IT SEEMED LIKE A GOOD IDEA AT THE TIME).

THE PHOTOS ARE FABULOUS.  KIM HANDLEY WAS THE PHOTOGRAPHER, YOU CAN SEE MORE OF HER WORK AT www.willowportraitsandphotography.com.  SHE IS AN ABSOLUTE GEM, WITH A GREAT EYE AND BEAUTIFUL STYLE.


SIDE NOTE: DON'T BE DECEIVED BY THE GREAT LOOKING CAKE.  I HAVE NEVER ENCOUNTERED ANYTHING AS HORRENDOUS AS WHAT CAME OUT OF MY BOY'S BUM THAT NIGHT! (APOLOGIES FOR BEING SO CRASS) THOUGH I THOUGHT IT NEEDED TO BE MENTIONED IN CASE ANYBODY HOPES TO "TRY THIS AT HOME".  BAKE THE CAKE YOURSELF AND BE SURE NOT TO INCLUDE ANY HIDDEN NASTIES.  OR ELSE BEWARE - YOUR BABY'S BOWELS MAY NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN.


MY DODGY, BEHIND THE SCENES JOB.

HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY ANGEL BOY!

X

 

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