Creating new blog...

I am debating on creating a whole new blog on just cooking ideas, recipes and experiments. It will host only food related blogs. Let's see what happens. Right now I have a hard enough time coming up with writing anything at all! But I am always whipping something up in the kitchen...

Fruit Desserts

For Eid I ended up making 3 fruit dishes. Why? I over estimated and had a surplus of fruits so had to do something with it.

Main - Leche de Fruit (ok - i made it up-- have a better idea?)

Combination of soft and hard fruits cut to bite size pieces.
I used: red apples, bananas, starfruit, guava, pineapple

fresh grated coconut shavings
Can of sweetened condensed milk

In a large decorative platter make a thin layer of coconut shavings. Dunk all the fruit in the condensed milk and make layers of fruits and top it all with coconut shavings. The starfruits looked so pretty that I had small toothpicks inserted and the pieces standing like stars around the dish. The kids loved it =)

Fruits 2:

Mix of fruits sprinkled with sugar, garam masala and black salt. I had put it inside a emptied watermelon turned into a bowl.

Fruits 3:

Mix of fruits with salt and kasondi. Kasondi is a mustard seed concoction. It was a nice kick of spicy and and sweet. Kasondi is like a preserve so it keeps if fresh hard fruits.

Eid in Dhaka

Eid in Dhaka and with C and his family was completely a different experience for me. I haven't celebrated Eid in its true sense in many years. This year – we started the festivities off with a Mendhi Night with all the women in the family. C hired two mendhi artists so that everyone could relax and enjoy. I made food to keep all full. It was a hit. Everyone had the hands adorned with mendhi for Eid. Games were played and general good time. Our first “party” was a success. I have always wanted to have such a party and in Dhaka it was possible. The food was a spread of Indian, western and Bangladeshi food – a lil something unique for the palate – a welcome change from the month of pakoras and haleem of Ramadaan. Maybe it will become a tradition for us?!

Food:
Fresh fruit with condensed milk and fresh coconut
Fresh fruit with mustard dressing (served in decorative watermelon)
Fresh fruit chaat w/ black salt (also served in decorative watermelon)
Deviled Eggs
Fresh chutney sandwich
Ground beef kababs
Potato Tikkis (kababs)
Chips with homemade salsa
Fresh watermelon juice cocktail

Yes - a lot of fruit - just ended up overestimating and had to do something with the surplus!

Recipes and Pics are going to be posted soon.

Rainy Day

Its a gray, wet and rainy day in Dhaka. I sat down after almost 10 days of no writing. I had a head full of ideas on what to write from the excitement of Eid in Dhaka to other mini adventures. But, here I am, with nothing to write. Kind of seems pointless. I started this blog, as a online diary, to keep in touch and friends posted on my life away from NY but who has the time to actually read blogs? Unless you are an active part on the online community, why would one read this? To be fair, a few friends read up on my day to day boring stuff. My life has become dull! No amount of creative writing is going to make it any more exciting. For the first time I have a very long period of no activity. Oh, there are things to keep me busy... but nothing to write home about, literally =)

I guess I'll post a couple of recipes and maybe some reviews.

Sooner than expected

I had expected the whole citizenship process to take upto a year - from my brother's experience - but turns out that USCIS has become increasingly efficient. Who would have figured that!! I applied for citizenship in April (finally after delaying for years). Everyone advised it would be 6 mons before they call me for finger printing - mmm - they called me in 1.5 mons later!! Then I was advised it would most likely take until February 2008 to get called in for an interview/oath - so i had made plans accordingly. I came to Dhaka and expected to return to NY by mid-Jan before my 6 mon was up and stay until I was finished with the interview process and catch my friends wedding too.

All plans out the window - got a letter asking me to an interview on Dec. 19 - thats 8 mons for those keeping track! So, I am back in NY for couple weeks in Dec to become an Am citizen =) A lot sooner than the 1 yr that was predicted/advised!

C and I

Over the past few weeks - somehow C and I seem to be on a weekly date! Its nice to get out and spend time - who says you can't date after marriage!!!

We went on a date on Fri - we started the evening off with playing pool! Usually not a respectable place for a woman - we went early and booked a table - only 2 other tables were being played. C ended up winning all 3 games we play =( but I learned a lot of tips from him. We are determined to have a pool table and table tennis table in our home! By the time we were getting tired, it had been 2 hours. So about 9pm. We hailed a rick and went to a mexican restaurant (it actually is pretty authentic!!). I ordered a burrito that was way toooo spicy but the nachos were yummy. C ordered a honey bbq chicken that was perfect proportion vs. american giant portions. C's cuz joined us and we drove to get some ice cream where we ran into a friend of theirs. After some chit chat and laughs, we came home - 11:30pm. Now - my stomach was upset =( argh!

Its nice to be able to go on a date with your husband - we get talk about things that otherwise maybe we wouldn't. and always an excuse for some extra romance =)

Life of Emile Zola

The film about the life of French writer is a definite must see for all. Why? You learn so much!! He was a man that stood his ground on portraying the world as he saw it. He was a naturalist writer (?). He lived in poverty - he wrote about - without any romanticism - about society from the perspective of the poor. He questioned the society around them by exposing the hypocrisies of daily life. He stood up against the government and demanded he have the rights entitled to him. He fought with his pen and words against the entire French army during a time that the people could see no flaws in the army and its government.

It is an inspiring film - makes you get off your bum and affect a change in the world around you.

I am reading his first book - Nana - its provocative story about the life of a Parisian prostitute pre WWII. It was considered blasphemous and disgusting during its time. The story is an analogy to so much more - a social commentary. If you have a chance - pick it up.

Nana: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nana_(novel)
Emile Zola: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89mile_Zola

Ugly

Today I feel Ugly! My face is dried out despite moisturizing and its getting these spots on my cheeks and not to mention acne all over lower part of the face - especially my chin. i have never has Soooo much acne to deal with!! WTF is going on?????? and my hair - another fiasco - its gotten even curlier if that is possible! Its impossible to put brush or comb for fear of having an birds nest like afro! Its frizzy and all over the place. What am I doing wrong? I wash my hair every two days cause it so hot and dry here. And --- my hair is falling out!! Every time I pull my hand through it - fistfuls of hair come out... what do I do?? Argh!!

Mistress of Spices

On our weekly date - C and I usually pic up 5-6 dvds - split between what each of us wants to watch. Usually a sprinkling of sci-fi, bollywood, asian, documentary and action. I wanted to pick up Mistress of Spices last time but the book wasn't that good and C gave me one of his "r u serious!?" looks that I retracted from it. I was just curious what the movie was like with Aishwarya Rai and Dylann McDermott. Lo' and behold - the very next day on Star Movies - what do i see when i flip through - aha! "Mistress of Spices"!

The movie is terrible in my opinion. It was just poorly written script. There were elements in the book that made it a fantasy but those elements were removed in the movie. First and foremost - the main character, Tilo comes to us in guise of an old woman, wrinkly and all. But, inside she is a young woman. As mistress of spices, that is the mask she must wear and give up all personal lust/needs. In the film - Ash is her regular Ash self - albeit they kept her in fashionable cotton saris with a single plait an a supposed look of indian conservatism.

There is a point in the book that she uses the spices power for herself to turn her into a young woman - and the love of Doug (McDermott) is supposed to recognize (and love her) despite her physical change. In the film - she has a friend help her transform into a bollywood Ash - with halter top red blouse and sheer red sari, fancy make-up and hair open. Ugh! The whole mystical, magical and fantasy of the book is completely lost!!

Don't bother to see it - unless you are just curious to see a bad film. Another attempt by Ash to do a Hollywood-y flick!

Sniffles

I went out yesterday to run some errands - buying ceiling fans, lights, etc. - for the new apt. At the market - it just started pouring! I came home with a tickle in my throat. Last night I went to bed with sweat pants and my long sleeved high school t-shirt (most comfy shirt ever!) and whaddaya know - I wake up with really tickly throat and sniffles galore =(

Argh!! Ever since I got here, its like I am destined to get sick! I hardly come here during this time of the year - possibly the weather - it rains randomly. Temp is usually 88-9o degrees. But we stay in A/C most of the day. I dunno what it is - any advice on boosting immune system? I can't bear to drink any haldi/milk concoctions!!

SiCKO

C and I finally watched Michael Moore's "Sicko" the other day and it just made us go "hmmm.."
If you haven't watched it - well, you should. It points out how most of the nations in the world can manage to have universal healthcare but US being one of the richest nations cannot have healthcare to take care of its poor, elderly and sick. There are many arguments against socialized medical - one of them being that one will not receive the best medical treatment if its government run. Hmmm - maybe thats only an issue in the US. Our firefighter, police, libraries are government run and we still receive adequate service (depending on your demographics).

In UK there is even doctors that are on call to come to the sick at home! That would be unheard of nowadays. I remember when my little brother was struck with chicken pox and my father was away with the car and my mother had no means of transportation. It would have been a great service to be able to call a doctor at home to check on his high temperature, don't you think? Instead of calling an ambulance (which cost a pretty penny once u get the bill) and having him stay at the hospital (which, at the time even with insurance, practically was impossible for us to pay).

I haven't had medical insurance since - well, college where it was included as part of our tuition. Why? I have been working as a consultant and the agency I work for offered benefits, but it covered so little and my deductible was so much that it just wasn't worth it. It was better for me to pay cash to see the doctors just to avoid all the headaches and hassles of paperwork! But heck - I still paid a lot of taxes. Now - if I had universal healthcare - then add another tax and take out of paycheck if that means if I am sick i don't have to be tense about seeing the doctor and worrying about bills.

I am babbling yes - but its an issue the US really needs to fix - why can other nations provide free education and healthcare but the US claims to not be able to do it - but instead spend zillions in a war that most of the nation is against? Is that democracy?

Interesting fact that my little brother (well he is 16) relayed to me - How many countries allow/is it legal for pharmaceuticals to directly advertise to consumers? Answer: 2 (US & New Zealand). I found that interesting. I detest the ads. Only doctors should recommend any medications. A person without medical background is illiterate to diagnose themselves for an illness! Symptoms can be the same for many different diagnosis.

There is one ad that I detest - its an otc painkiller - the ad shows a person exhausted - muscle aches from playing with their kids, headaches from work stress, backaches from working - the answer - take this pain killer and resume your life! WHAT!! If the body is in pain - that means - slow down! Give it a break, rest! Be a healthy human being rather than drugging your body and pushing it beyond its capabilities!! Shouldn't the government be taking care of its citizens, making sure they are healthy?

I can go on and on with the gripes I have - When I remember these things - that my education debt will take forever to pay off, my credit sucks cause I haven't been able to pay off some medical bills, that having debt is a part of life in the US - it just makes me happy that C and I moved out. Medical care here is really just as good if not better cause doctors listen and then take care of you. The treatments I have received so far has cost far less ($500 vs. $50) with the same equipment and better service. I was able to take care of a dental problem - a root canal and cap - here in Dhaka for far less ($5,000 vs, $500).

C and I are debating - once we are done in Dhaka, maybe we will move to France. Hmmm - according to "SiCKO" the french gov't sends a nanny to help new moms!

Time to start learning some French with my free time!!

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