The Dilemma of a Constant Traveler

We travelers fly a lot. Flying is one of the most primary things that a traveler has to depend on, mainly if we're on an international schedule. Sometimes, the pain of a connecting flight can be really stressful especially if you miss a sector or it gets cancelled without a backup flight to bail you out.

Right now, I'm going through the same thing. I have to catch a flight back home and I'm unsure if it's going to leave at all until the very last moment. With all the flight cancellations that have been happening helter skelter, one can only wait, watch and wonder.

So, I guess, I'll have to pack my bags, get to the airport, stare aimlessly at the schedule above as it switches through the schedule and wonder if I'm ever going to fly at all today. Tough luck I say.

I think I should just grab my bike the next time and hit the road.

Chai to the rescue

I try to kick back at times with a nice cup of tea because tea helps me to relax those nerves that have been stretched the whole day typing random somethings'.

The picture shown above is of a cup of "Lime Tea", also known as "Sulaimani Tea".

Happy Weekend!

Oh Frabble

Scrabble is a game essentially played by 2 - 4 people involving the use of words that most of us use everyday. This game has quite a widespread following and is one of the most popular games played in the world today. 

At my place, we decided one night that we would play Scrabble. Dad and I went and purchased a new Scrabble board since the old one was missing quite a few letters. 

And so, on game night, Dad, my sister and I decided to pool our heads together and play the game knowing very well that that it's been ages since either of us played the game. A good question to raise at this point would be about the rules. They went for a toss.

Well, we tried and the result is here for you to see. We got Scrabbled!

Rice-o-Mania

At our house, the cooking never stops. And truly, that's a remarkable thing because I wouldn't have been able to get you all these quick recipes. Well, some of them maybe aren't that quick to prepare, but they are tasty so I thought I'd still write about it. This one's called "Jeera Rice / Cumin Rice"

Jeera / Cumin Rice

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Rice
• 5 cups Water
• 2 tsp Jeera / Cumin
• 2 tsp Oil
• Juice of 1 Lime
• Salt as required
• 1 tsp Turmeric / Haldi powder
• 1 Maggi Chicken / Vegetable cube

Cooking Time: 45 minutes

Steps:

1. Wash the rice. 
2. Heat oil in a vessel / kadai, add the jeera / cumin seeds and allow it to fry for 2 - 3 minutes.
3. Add the washed rice, lemon juice and the maggi cube. 
4. Add the water to the vessel. Note - For every cup of rice, you take 3 cups of water.
5. Mix well and check if salt is required since the cube contains a certain amount of salt.
6. Add Turmeric / Haldi.
7. Allow it to boil. Once it starts boiling, bring the flame to sim for 10 minutes.
8. Switch off the gas, place a lid over the vessel and allow it to set for 30 minutes. Note - Do not open the lid until the 30 minutes is completed.
9. Once the 30 minutes are over, stir the contents well and serve immediately.

This is a dish to be had by itself or you can even combine it with yoghurt. The combination's fantastic is what I've heard.

The Purple Delight

Salads are some of the easiest whip-ups that you can make in the kitchen. It requires a good mix of veggies, salt and pepper and involves just that little bit of creativity to mix up all the ingredients together.This is the first of many such small whip-ups that I'm going to share with you. I call this "The Purple Delight"

Purple Delight

Ingredients:

• 1 Cucumber
• 1 Carrot
• 1 Green Capsicum
• 1 Tomato
• A small piece of celery
• 4 – 5 Iceberg Lettuce / Romaine leaves
• Half a Purple Cabbage
• Feta Cheese

For Dressing:

• 3 tsp olive oil
• Juice of 1 Lime
• Salt and pepper as required

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Serves : 2 – 3 people

Steps:

1. First, we need to prepare the dressing for the salad.
2. Mix the dressing ingredients in a bowl and keep aside.
3. Next, chop all the vegetables into cubes except the lettuce and cabbage.
4. Cut the lettuce and cabbage into strips. Note - Rinse the cabbage well in water and drain.
5. Take a big bowl, preferably a salad bowl and add the cut vegetables and the dressing (except the tomato) and mix well.
6. Add the Tomato and top it up with cubes of Feta cheese and serve immediately.

The variations are many and you can also crank it up by tossing in a few olives as well. Whatever the meal may be, a salad can work wonders when combined with the main course.

Indo - China Fried Rice (because it's made with an Indian Twist)

Presenting to you another of our short eats is the Fried Rice. Not hard to make and definitely tasty when done right.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups rice
• 3 tbsp oil
• 8 - 10 beans finely chopped
• 1 carrot finely chopped
• 1 red onion sliced
• 1/2 cabbage finely chopped
• 2-3 green chillies
• 1/2 inch ginger piece finely chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
• 4 tbsp soya sauce
• 4 tbsp green chilli sauce
• Salt and Pepper as required

Cooking Time: 40 minutes (including 20 minutes of preparation of the ingredients)

Steps:

1. Wash and soak the rice for 10 - 15 minutes and then drain.
2. Boil 2 cups of water, add salt and then the rice.
3. Allow the rice to cook until tender. Note - See that the rice does not overcook.
4. Drain the rice and run it under cold water and transfer it to a big colander.
5. Heat oil in a pan / vessel and add all the chopped vegetables.
6. Cook for 5 - 10 minutes. Note - Do not overcook the vegetables. They should be crisp.
7. Add salt and pepper.
8. Add the rice and mix well.
9. Add soya and green chilli sauce.
10. Cook the fried rice for another 5 - 10 minutes and serve hot. Note - More soya and green chilli sauce should be added as required.

Macaroni Delights Part 2

Easy to make and tasty as ever, a salad is a must with every meal as it can give you all the nutrients that you might not necessarily have with the main course. So, I present to you, our version of the 'Macaroni Salad'.

Dish 2: Macaroni Salad

Ingredients:

Macaroni Salad

• 1 Cucumber
• 1 Carrot
• 1 Green Capsicum
• ½ white onion
• A small piece of celery
• 4 – 5 Iceberg Lettuce leaves
• 1 cup of Macaroni
• Feta Cheese

For Dressing:

• 3 tsps olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 green chilli
• Juice of 1 Lime
• Salt and pepper as required

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Serves: 2 – 3 people

Steps: 

1. First, we need to prepare the dressing for the salad.
2. Mash the garlic and remove the skin.
3. Cut the chill in half.
4. In a bowl, add the garlic, chilli, salt, pepper, olive oil and the lime juice. Mash the chilli and garlic well. Keep aside.
5. Next, chop all the vegetables into cubes except the lettuce.
6. Cut the lettuce into strips.
7. Take a big bowl, preferably a salad bowl and add the cut vegetables and the dressing and mix well. Before mixing remove the chilli from the dressing.
8. Top it up with cubes of Feta cheese and serve after some time.

This is a dish best served cold. Unlike revenge, this tastes way better.

Cheers,

Macaroni Delights Part 1

One can find many variations of the Macaroni recipe on the internet. It’s not a dish that people haven’t heard of. It’s a good, cheap and easy to cook meal that almost anybody can concoct and the best part about it is that; there’s no one way to cook it. You can do almost anything with a plate of macaroni. Below is something what my sister cooked up in her style. I was very surprised and very satisfied by the end of the meal. So, bringing to a screen near you, the famous ‘Macaroni’

Dish 1: Macaroni with Chicken Meatballs and Sausages

Macaroni with Meatballs and Sausages

Ingredients:

• 1 Red Onion (chopped)
• Cooking Oil
• Spicy Tomato Sauce (180 grams)
• Chilli flakes
• Freshly ground pepper
• Salt (as required)
• 4 Chicken Sausages
• 4 Chicken Meatballs
• 3 cups of Macaroni

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Serves: 2 – 3 people

Steps:

1. Boil the Macaroni in water with a little bit of oil and salt added in the mixture. For every cup of macaroni, add 4 cups of water. This needs to be boiled for 10 minutes.
2. Once done, drain the water away and rinse the macaroni with cold water so that the macaroni doesn’t stick to each other.
3. Deep fry the meatballs and keep aside.
4. Heat oil in a non stick vessel and fry the chopped onions till it changes colour.
5. Cut the sausages in small round slices, add it with the onions and fry till the sausages have a brownish tinge to it.
6. Cut the meatballs in halves. Add it to the mixture and fry for 3 minutes.
7. Add the tomato sauce and a little bit of water to make it thinner. (Note – If you prefer the meal with a thick sauce, do not add water).
8. Add the chilli flakes, salt and pepper as required.
9. Bring the flame to sim to allow the sauce to boil.
10. Add the macaroni and mix well.
11. Check the seasoning and add more if required.
12. Allow the ingredients to cook for 10 minutes and serve immediately.

~ End of Part 1 ~

When the Cat is away, the Mice are at play

One day, my mother decided to take a flight over the ocean to attend her sister's 50th Wedding Anniversary and so, dad, sister and I were left to fend for ourselves for the next few days before she headed back home.

Jeera / Cumin Rice

Well, we had to eat right? So, dad and I, clueless without the main woman in our lives were wondering what we'd have for dinner. My mother sensing the questioning glances told my sister to make some Jeera Rice (Cumin Rice), some salad and get the Pork Offal from the fridge. She knew this would suffice for the night. 

Purple Delight

I was doubtful of my sister's skills in the kitchen and hence voiced my apprehensions immediately. One glare from my sister told me that if I spoke anymore, there would be no food for me. Well, I had to give in.We reached back and my sister got to work immediately. I was quite surprised at the way she managed the work at home.

I could see my mother's work clearly visible and I was quite happy that my little sister had finally grown up. She made dinner, dyed my dad's hair, did the dishes (I helped here) and put the family to sleep. All in the space of two hours.

Well, I guess some things do change, don't they? I call it - The Circle of Life.

Cheers