Biriyani and Superwoman days

ejozi.co.za

This beautiful aromatic Indian rice dish I like to make on the same day as I do a spring clean up at home Once the clean up is done, the house looks fabulous, the dinner is also ready and the house smells fantastic as the spices have slowly radiated throughout. 
Biriyani is very tasty, comforting, unctuous and appetising dinner that although appears complex is  once mastered actually is very easy to make. While the chicken marinates and the aromatic rice cooks I tidy, clean and toss out accumulated junk so I call these days my Superwoman days......
It is really invigorating to accomplish both on the same day. 
Biriyani is worth the effort and can also be made with goat or lamb if you prefer. 

I got talking to a cab driver once on my way back from the markets and I said I was about to make Biriyani. He yelled out, screeched to a halt and pulled over. Then leant in the back of the cab to know how I was going to do it. I've picked up that not many people now bother to cook this great dish in its authentic style but make a quick version. He quizzed me and was amazed that I was cooking it properly so after inviting himself to dinner we went on - No he didn't come to dinner Ha ha ha
So,
Chicken Biriyani is simply made of three parts
An aromatic cooked rice
Marinated chicken pieces
And a spicy, onion green chilli gravy
These are layered into a heavy pot and sealed then baked. Traditionally the seal would be made of thick plain dough or pastry shell. I use a large heavy based casserole dish and one day I hope to get a heavy cast iron pot with a lid - it would be perfect. There is a fantastic one at work by Iittalia - perhaps one day.

supermama.me

Chicken Biriyani

• 12 -14 small size chicken legs or thigh fillets
• Chicken on the bone is preferrable.
• Approx 2 cups Tilda rice (Tilda is a  brand of basmati rice)
• Use any superior grade basmati 
• 2-4 onions
• salt and pepper
• 2 tps mustard seeds
• 2 tps cumin powder
• 4-6 green chillies
• 2 tps coriander powder
• oil for frying – 2 tbs( spices) more for chicken
• 2 small tubs plain yoghurt
• 4 fresh garlic cloves
• fresh coriander roots
• Tin of  crushed tomatoes or fresh crushed tomatoes
• curry leaves
• handful of cashews or  peeled almonds
• handful of raisins

recipes.ebest.in

Marinade

• 3 tps garlic paste
• 3 tps ginger paste
• 4 tps coriander powder
• 1 tps garam masala
• 1 tps tumeric
• juice of  1 lemon
• salt

Aromatic rice 

• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 10 cardamon pods
• salt
• 4 cups of Tilda basmati rice
• 2 cloves
• pinch of saffron or fresh threads of saffron

In a large metal bowl combine the  garlic and ginger paste with coriander , garam masala and tumeric powders  Add lemon juice and chicken legs marinate for at least 2 hours

Meanwhile cook the rice in water with cinnamon sticks, saffron, cardamon and cloves Just bring to rolling  boil for 5 minutes then leave with a tight lid on until all water has evaporated Do not take the lid off. Leave aside.

 In a small pan add oil  cook the mustard seeds  until completely popped add the  cumin and coriander cook for 2 minutes , set aside.
Next prepare the gravy by slowly browning the sliced onions in  a heavy skillet
Add the green chillis and fresh coriander root and ½ bunch of coriander  leaves , fresh garlic that have been whizzed up together to a paste
Mix with the onions  then add the cooked spices and mix together
Add tomatoes and yoghurt .
I don't measure these much so you have to get the feel for how you like it to taste 1 tub of yoghurt and 1 tin of tomatoes makes a good consistency of gravy.
Take the chicken out of the marinade Sear the chicken legs in oil to brown Do not cook through.

Use a large heavy pot or casserole dish suitable for the oven with a lid
Pour in the gravy arrange the chicken on top then some chopped coriander then fill with the cooked rice Add cashews or almonds and raisins to the top and curry leaves( all optional)
Seal with a lid or foil or the traditional way with pastry dough and cook for 1-1/1/2 hours or until very aromatic and the chicken comes away from the bone easily.
Serve with  raitta, pappadums  and pickle or on its own.....delicious

Magenta

Magenta is the navy blue of India.
Magenta is a mix of red and violet.
Magneta has the energy and passion of red but balanced by the subtlety and quiet of violet.


Who can be unhappy surrounded by MAGENTA ?


It is the absolute colour of  
Happiness 
             Harmony      
                             Cheerfullness 
Magenta is so uplifting.




Magenta is the colour of promise and 
all possibilities. Of ambition, appreciation and optimism.

Magenta or fuschia is said to strengthen our intuition, awareness and knowledge and is helpful in releasing emotional issues. 
Magenta can be uplifting in times of sadness, frustration, unhappiness or anger.

Magenta is a spiritual colour that inspires change and transformation so is helpful when we want to move forward into new directions.




When I look at magenta I can only smile.

It is the ONE colour I absolutely love

 
In the meaning of colors, magenta is universal love at its highest level so it inspires compassion, kindness and cooperation. 

It encourages self respect and contentment and is gentle and caring bringing acceptance, tolerance, support and patience.

Using magenta can be strong even shocking but always inspiring to the point of being innovative, non conformist, creative and imaginative.

As with our experience of music we  our colours can trigger memories and feelings from past events be they our good times or sad times. Colours can spark a memory and make us reflect, inflame us with rage or calm us down. Colours can make us remember a mood or a moment. When you decorate you can draw on these to create wonderful "feel good" living spaces.

lefd.com

Some people say Magenta is not a real colour. 

What does the brain do when our eyes detect wavelengths from both ends of the light spectrum at once i.e. red and violet ? 

Generally speaking, the eye has two options 

To produce a colour halfway between red and violet in the spectrum (which would in this case produce green – not a very representative colour of a red and violet mix)
OR invent a new colour halfway between red and violet

Magenta is the evidence that the brain takes the second option option. To construct a colour to bridge the gap between red and violet, because such a colour does not exist in the light spectrum. Magenta has no wavelength attributed to it, unlike all the other spectrum colours.

How and why do we let these things happen? Read On.....

Beware! T-Mobile Owns the Color Magenta

By COLOURlover // November 4, 2007

 I'm not sure I fully understand... should that have been written the color "Magenta™"? The absurdity is probably confusing to you as well. The total hue domination by T-Mobile and its bigger Deutsche Telekom (DT) has been going on for several years, but has gained more attention lately. DT not only trademarked magenta, they also have a trademark on the use of their two 2 color logo... More can be read at servicemarks.

Don't worry trademarks only apply to the industry sector that they are registered under and since DT applied for their trademark in the tele-communications sector you just can't use the color magenta around anything to do with phones, digital media... oh and just about anything on the internet.

Here is a screenshot of the T-Mobile USA website with their trademark highlighted:

la la la platters

My absolute favorite way of eating is make what I call a la la la platter. A scrumptious meal of colourful and interesting foods all together on a large platter so you can graze or pick as you like.

There is nothing better than spending time preparing these colourful morsels for family or a friends. From the initial choosing of the ingredients at the markets, through carting the delights home and unpacking, cooking, to the point of  spreading all the beautiful elements out on your favorite platter.
Don't limit yourself to traditional Italian antipasto include perhaps Thai flavoured chicken patties or seafood. 
Afterwards its just la la la la, no cooking music, wine, good company and a gorgeous platter of antipasto to enjoy. 
La la la Platters can be all store bought goodies such as meats, dolmades,  cheeses and dips if you are time poor or don't feel like cooking or you can go all out and make a selection of recipes - be it a simple platter or a lavish one they are always wonderful  and a sensational way to entertain or share cooking together
Enjoy cooking or find your own special deli and try these ideas.

Gourmet pates
Proscuitto wrapped around pieces of melon*
Proscuitto wrapped grissini*
Marinated artichokes
Smoked Salmon and caper berries
Fresh figs
Fresh dates

Marinated fetta
Marinated goats cheese
Exotic deli meats - try Quarter 21 in Westfield
Pickles and pickled onions
Handmade Dolmades
Stuffed green olives- try the chilli ones !

Chicken and pistachio terrine*
Slices of Mortadella and Ham
Pickled ginger
Fresh asparagus*
Beetroot salad
Banana chillies chargrilled*
Pancetta
Thai chicken patties*
Small pieces of crumbed chicken*
Spicy lamb cutlets*
Spicy beetroot vada*
Marinated grilled Prawns*
Homemade pieces or mini muffin style frittata*
Marinated and chargrilled Eggplant*
Tapenades
Bocconcini and tomato salsas*
Avacado salsa*
Marinated and chargrilled Kumera or pumpkin *
* denotes home made recipes ....stay tuned

The list is endless and only limited by the extent of your imagination
All delicious and enormous fun trying out your  favorite combination of flavours. 

Lemon Meringue Pie

When you have lots of fresh lemons try this 
easy recipe for either lemon 

cheesecake or lemon meringue pie.

This one is made with biscuit base 

although could be 

made with shortcrust pastry.

•   A packet of plain  biscuits arrowroot or nice.
•   140 grams butter-melted
• 2 - 250 grams cream cheese
• A carton of sour cream
• 3/4 cup caster sugar
• 1 tbs finely grated lemon rind
• 2 tbs fresh lemon juice
• 3 eggs
• Meringue
• 3 egg whites
• 3/4 cup caster sugar

• Line the base of a 22cm springform pan with non-stick baking paper.
• Place the biscuits in the bowl of a food processor and process until finely crushed. 
• Add the butter and process until well combined. 
• Transfer the biscuit mixture to the prepared pan. 
• Press the biscuit mixture firmly over the base and side of the pan. 
• Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to chill.
• Preheat oven to 160°C. 
• Place the cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, lemon rind and juice in the clean bowl of a food processor and process until smooth. 
• Add the eggs and process until well combined.
• Pour the cream cheese mixture into the biscuit base. 
• Bake in oven for 1 hour or until just set in the centre. 
• Turn oven off. Leave the cheesecake in the oven, with the door slightly ajar, for 2 hours or until cooled completely -this will prevent the cake from cracking 
• Place in the fridge for 4 hours to chill.
• To make the meringue, use an electric beater to whisk the egg whites in a clean, dry bowl until firm peaks form. Gradually add the sugar, 1 tablespoonful at a time, whisking constantly until the mixture is thick and glossy.
• Preheat oven to 200°C. Spoon the meringue mixture over the cheesecake and spread to the edge. Bake in oven for 5-8 minutes or until lightly browned. Place in the fridge for 2-3 hours to chill. 

Paintings above by Sarah Sedgwick and Jonathan Aller
images courtesy of daily painters.com

Okra

Courtesy of Aki's Wooloomooloo

I was shopping at my local last night and I was asked 
What I was cooking for dinner, so I showed the fruit shop man my bag of Okra and he asked me how I cooked it.
Sheeesh! talk about setting myself up to be shot down by the experts and so I turned to him to asked him how he cooked okra.
He didn't like my idea of mixing it with spinach but we did agree that Okra is always great stir fried with garlic, onions, and tomatoes.
I recalled whilst cooking my dinner  (fantastic by the way) my favorite Indian restaurant at Wooloomooloo "Aki's " where Chef Kumar Mahadevan makes an amazingly delicious Prawn and Bindi  South Indian curry. Bindu being Hindi for Okra
South Indian Cuisine is also a favourite with its subtle, delicate use of spices, green chillies and an abundance of coconut products  All come together with local fresh produce and seafood to create a truly extraordinary cuisine of contrasting tastes and delights, not only fabulous to eat but really fun to cook. 
Have you ever made Idlis? Appam or Dosha's?
Scrumptious
I'm sure Chef Kumar Mahadevan who was a master class guest Chef on Masterchef last year would like to share his recipe 

Prawn Okra Curry  
12 king prawns

1/2 tbs mustard seeds
2 tsp fenugreek seeds

1 tbs cumin seeds

1 tsp tumeric powder

2 tbs coriander powder

1 tbs chilli powder

800ml water

100ml sesame oil
2 fresh tomatoes diced
100g okras
 - ends removed keep whole

100g ecshallots - sliced finely

150ml tamarind pulp


salt to taste

Extra for tempering

4 dry red chillies


8 or10 fresh curry leaves

Ground Masala

100g fresh coconut


1 tbs roasted Channa dal 
(grind two together)

Heat the sesame oil and add the mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds crack, add fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds and sliced shallots and cook well.
Add okra and cook for 10 minutes and then remove the okra and keep separately. Then add chilli powder, coriander powder and tumeric powder, tamarind pulp and chopped tomatoes, along with 3 cups of water and salt to taste.
Add the ground masala and cook well.
Once the sauce is prepared, just add the jumbo prawns and cook lightly

To Finish
Whizz the channa dhal and coconut with 150ml water until smooth
Stir the paste through the curry, add half of the curry leaves and cooked okra Cover with the lid
Heat remaining sesame oil in a frying pan over high heat. When oil is smoking add dried chillies and cook until black and blistered. Remove pan from the heat and add the remaining curry leaves. Pour the mixture into the curry and cover with the lid for a further 2 minutes.
Serve with steamed basmati rice or soft plain naan
Enjoy

FRIENDS our best friends, our intimate friends, confidantes, soul mates, allies, comrades, companions, buddies, chums, partners, mates or pals

"Friends are like melons: 

Shall I tell you Why? 

To find one good one, 

a hundred try "

Claude Mermet

In recent times we there has been an emphasis on  "friends  and friendships " and the accumulation of a excessive numbers of  'Friends'. that past decades may not have experienced to such a degree.  

The friend revolution first began in my family from watching the ever popular TV series FRIENDS always must see in our household. Friends  has continued to bring hours of joy and laughter to my family - we still get together and throw on a friends my son still watches Friends DVD whenever we can.  The show epitomises the close friend's group household with many funny moments and situations - a great laugh.

Then of course came social media, and Facebook with its obsession with the number of "friends" one can acquire

We pick up or " find friends " for our social media sites, from work, family members and extended family, people who are away overseas, acquaintenances, friends from school and Uni, work friends,  relatives, neighbours, friends from the past and everyone new that we meet and then friends of friends of friends. We tweet, chat, skype, like, share, follow, call, text and email to keep in touch with them all.

Many an article has been written about whether these constitute true friends and how many friends is it possible to maintain in a lifetime?  I wonder though are they really your  true Friends and what is a friend really?

I've had my share of interest, success and involvement in all ways of making friends and celebrating the idea and essence of friendship from interest groups, networking through work, courses, clubs, work situations, family friends,community groups,  online dating and friendship sites and more. 






The expression "Strangers are friends we have not met yet" has never been so true as it is now.  
I have had the good fortune or providence to have what I perceive to be a truly great best friend our  friendship has stood the test of time through good times, ups and downs of life to become a strong mutually satisfying bond for life. Someone who knows you better than you know yourself.

New friends still in the exhilaration of  experimenting, learning about each other, enjoying the surprises of what makes two people tick as friends.

What we enjoy about one another and what each one brings to the friendship is a fascinating game filled with excitement  and so much fun.

My intuition is fairly good so I can see a time when new friends will have  become great friends because life has to be experienced first and friendships nurtured through our living.

sylviajustcurious.blogspot.com

So whether you meet online, in unusual chance meetings, or at work or mutual interest groups and pastimes its the passage of  time that tells whether our friends are what I consider to be the meaning of  TRUE FRIENDS.

True friends are based on selflessness they accept differences, support strengths and weaknesses and I believe  to have even one true friend in a lifetime is a major blessing.

Because its the trust and strong bond that develops over time that endures distance and life's up and downs but does not affect the quality of the  friendship at all

A true friend can walk in after years or months away and the friendship is right there where it was - a magic relationship. Where either person in the bond would not think twice if one of them was in trouble or needed help and in fact would probably know already, this friendship never fades but thrives on trust, mutual admiration, inspiration and comfort.

I am lucky to have a few close friends but one in particular that I know a mere hello on the phone can be answered by " tell me " because best friends can sense, listen and understand ones silence sometimes knowing before you do yourself.

a friendly bite

How fortunate am I to  know someone that is completely comfortable to be with - my best friend.

How do we nurture and acquire truly good friends and more importantly how do we spontaneously develop good friends without it being an artificial thing You can't make yourself into what you think others may find attractive its all about being honest with yourself and being You.

Of course, if we are fortunate, our children can become our best friends and know you on this level too.

There is nothing sweeter in life than to be rewarded after the nurturing and sacrifice needed in rearing children to end up with them as your close friends. A group of people who enjoy your company and want to spend time with you and become your other best friends.

So, when you meet new people enjoy all the moments of the initial spark as your own hint to the possible deep friendship that may develop.  The mutual joy of contact and being together, thinking about them as you become friends, being attentive to keeping in touch, listening, giving and sharing but best of all fun, laughter and humor all go to  make lasting friendship

"The only way to have a friend is to be ONE"

      Ralph Waldo Emerson

My lungs feel HAPPY

boneko78.wordpress.com

We all have to exercise.....but after the  long endurance test  at work each week the thought of more strain on my legs with running or aerobics I was just not getting it done...then  I discovered the joy of taking the plunge and swimming....and I'm happy to report that swimming makes me feel fantastic, makes my lungs feel happy and my whole body sing.....

There is a moment when I first get in the water and push off from the wall .........its like flying, weightless, free, where you glide through the warm silky water, the outside world is gone. Its just you, your own thoughts and the sounds of the bubbles in your ears. The moment is wonderful and full of promise.

Its gone by the time you get to the end of the lap as you catch your breath before going off again...

Swimming is exercise and pleasure combined

dayrecipe.com

My skin glows after a swim and I've improved my posture, joint mobility especially in my neck. 
My fitness and lung capacity is amazingly enhanced without even noticing that "I was working out" 
Although its a huge demand on the lungs and heart (but in a good way) there is no strain on the muscles, just a fantastic all round work out.
The next day you don't feel sore and sorry like you do with weights and aerobics and there is very little injury at all - just perhaps the occasional pulled muscle from stretching too much....

When I started I could barely get to the other end without gasping for breath, but now I've used the time  to coach and train myself to perfect "the stroke" remembering all the tips I used to give to the boys.
 I can now do at least a kilometre sometimes more and every week get better.
All those early morning workouts before school - 6am at the pool with the boys have come in handy. 


I've taught myself bilateral breathing andwhen my head is in the water  I use the quiet moments  to reflect on things, plan and ponder. No its NOT boring......

youidiot.org
There's no other sport or exercise I know where you don't feel tired, get rid of tension and stress and see the results so fast. My whole body sings through the day with that heightened feeling of good circulation and increased metabolic rate and it lasts all day...

And there's no danger of hurting yourself. You may have to improve your time management skills and look at goal setting to get going but the benefits are well worth it.
Core strength, endurance, flexibility and balance, relaxation and a fantastic cardio workout.

buzzle.com

I always come out of the water refreshed, awake, rejuvenated and by the time I'm dressed and out and about again INVINCIBLE....... Grab your goggles and take the plunge....

swimming.org.au 

Lots of interesting info from Swimming Australia

Check out Swimsmooth for fabulous instructions from beginners to advanced and Mr smooths animated ideal freestyle stroke console. 

http://www.swimsmooth.com/