Thank you for Everything!

Gemmie was five when we visited her family in Abu Dhabi. 
We hadn't seen her in a couple of years, so when we arrived, the first thing we asked was -  
"Where's Gemmie?" 
Her mom pointed to the bathroom door and said, "Potty. She's been inside for a while now. After two days, you know..."
We nodded in understanding. Just then we heard Gemmie singing loudly - "Thank you, God, for everything!"
We all burst into laughter.

Gemmie is now a teenager and is embarrassed if we bring up this topic. (Her name and location, therefore, are changed in this blog post. :))

...

Just how many us thank God for the shit (excuse me for the language, but cannot help it) that He dishes out to us sometimes?
We thank him for love, mercy, peace, faith, health, wealth, family, friends, employment, fortune, miracles, pleasures, holidays, ... the list is endless. I have even heard a person thanking god for a diamond-studded gold watch. 

I have been through a few 'shitty' times in life. 
"Why me, God? 
Did I do anything wrong to deserve this?"
In my anguish, I sought His company and asked Him so many questions. 
Sometimes, I raised my arms to heaven and declared, 
"I surrender, God. I don't know what to do. You lead me and tell me what to do."
And He did.

Family and friends stood by me strongly and had faith in me. 
It was then that I realised that it was only a test set by God to filter the really important people and things in my life from the not-so-important ones. 

Today, I thank god not only for giving me 'much more than I deserve' but also for the 'shitty' experiences that He has put me through. 

There are pleasantly unexpected things that happen once in a while to many of us and we look up to heaven and say, "That was you, God, wasn't it?"

Like little Gemmie, we sing, "Thank you, God, for everything!"

 (Tied up in satin bundles above are Father's Day presents prepared by schoolgirls for their beloved fathers to show their gratefulness and love.)
 

Welcome, Mr. Burglar

Dear Mr. Burglar,

Welcome to our humble house!

You probably knew that we were not at home today because our car was not parked in the driveway. Perhaps you rang the doorbell once, maybe twice, to confirm our absence. Then, you went around the house and may have broken one of the french windows in our living room to let yourself in.  There has been talk around the neighbourhood of your modus operandi. Business is quite brisk these days, huh?

Fortunately, we come from a culture that has taught us to treat any guest as a visiting deity. Now that you have come, we welcome you. Please feel at home and help yourself to the snacks and drinks in the fridge. 
One request - The milk-based, saffron-flavoured dessert in the white ceramic bowl is for our daughter's International Lunch at school tomorrow. It takes a while to make and cannot be bought at the store. So please taste a little if you wish but don't polish it all off because we will be in a fix in the morning if you do. 

Have a good look around after your snack and drink. There are some worthy items in our living room like the LCD TV, the music system, the digital camera, the furniture, and our laptops. If you wish to take any of these, please feel free to do so. These items have served us faithfully for years and have great antique value. On the other hand, if you take these off our hands, we will have a good reason to buy new state-of-the-art models.
One request - You may use the trolley in the laundry room to cart away any bulky items instead of dragging them across the floor. 

There are several books in our living room library on various topics ranging from children's fiction to philosophy. If you or any of your friends are interested in reading, we would strongly recommend a slim volume entitled 'The Bishop's Candlesticks' by Norman McKinnel as this story is about someone in your profession. 
One request - If you find any books with bookmarks inserted in them, please spare them this time. You may either pick them up on your next visit or if you leave us a note, we will arrange to send it to you. We believe that reading liberates a person from baser instincts and should be encouraged in our society. 

Among the children's toys which are scattered all over the house, you may choose any that you like. Who knows, you might even be lucky and find a teddy bear stuffed with diamonds - you know like the ones that we hear about in airport smuggling hauls? You will be proud to show it off and say that you lived up to your name in this business. 
One request - please ignore the mess in our house. It is not always like this, sometimes its even worse. In your quest for treasure, you are welcome, however, to put things in order. 

Most people keep gold, diamonds and important papers in heavy metallic safes. Please don't waste your valuable time in looking for one because we don't have one. We consider safes most unsafe. 
You will find some traditional silver jewellery in a wooden box in the unlocked bedroom cupboard. Most of these pieces are gifts from friends who have left Oman. Although these are cherished gifts, you may take them since you have to live up to your reputation as a burglar. Our friends are in touch with us and our friendship is priceless. 
Here is a challenge - try to sort out the real diamond rings (if any) from the artificial diamond rings kept in the little silk purse next to the jewellery box and take them too. 

However, if it is gold and money you are seeking, you have not chosen the right timing because I have worn my gold jewellery to go out today and we keep all our cash in our purses. 

Better luck next time! 

(Picture courtesy: Google images)

This post was also published in Outpost Oman newsletter Sep-Oct 2015.

Nek Chand's Garden

 

 As a teenager, I used to read a travel magazine called 'Treasure' that my cousin, Samson dada, subscribed to.  It was in one of these issues that I read about Nek Chand, the man who built the Rock Garden in Chandigarh. 

Nek Chand inspired me immensely at that impressionable age. I found it very interesting how he gathered bits of colourful bangles, tiles and other such recyclables during the day and how he sneaked away to his hidden garden in the evening to sculpt a spectacular display in a forest clearing.

I wondered what inspired him. He worked secretly and apparently had no aspirations to fame or fortune. Was it purely his creative genius that prompted him to work on the sculptures after a hard day at work? Whatever it was, it did eventually bring him fame as one of the most selfless artists of India who brought joy to the community. 

His life reads like a story. 

Wikipedia informs us that he hailed from Shakargarh region (now in Pakistan) of district Gurdaspur. His family moved to Chandigarh in 1947 during the Partition. At the time, the city was being redesigned as a modern utopia by a Swiss/French architect. It was to be the first planned city in India, and Chand found work there as a roads inspector for the Public Works Department in 1951. He was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India in 1984.

In his spare time, Chand began collecting materials from demolition sites around the city. He recycled these materials into his own vision of the divine kingdom of Sukrani, choosing a gorge in a forest near Sukhna Lake for his work. The gorge had been designated as a land conservancy, a forest buffer established in 1902 that nothing could be built on. Chand's work was illegal, but he was able to hide it for eighteen years before it was discovered by the authorities in 1975. 
Eighteen years!!
By this time, it had grown into a 13-acre complex of interlinked courtyards, each filled with hundreds of pottery-covered concrete sculptures of dancers, musicians, and animals. Made from recycled materials, Chand build up the mass with a cement and sand mix before adding a final coating of smoothly burnished pure cement combined with waste materials such as broken glass, bangles, crockery, mosaic and iron-foundry slag.

His work was in serious danger of being demolished, but he was able to get public opinion on his side, and in 1986 the park was inaugurated as a public space. Nek Chand was given a salary, a title ("Sub-Divisional Engineer, Rock Garden"), and a workforce of 50 labourers so that he could concentrate full-time on his work. It even appeared on an Indian stamp in 1983. The Rock Garden is still made out of recycled materials; and with the government's help, Chand was able to set up collection centres around the city for waste, especially rags and broken ceramics.
When Chand left the country on a lecture tour in 1996, the city withdrew its funding, and vandals attacked the park. The Rock Garden Society took over the administration and upkeep of this unique visionary environment. The garden is visited by over five thousand people daily, with a total of more than twelve million visitors since its inception.

Chand's statues have found their way into museums across the world.
There is a Nek Chand Foundation in London founded to raise funds for the garden.

Nek Chand passed away last Friday at the age of ninety. 
This humble self-taught artist has inspired many people around the world with his selfless art. This is his most precious gift to the world. 
Rest in peace, Nek Chand, O creator of an imaginary garden!

(Pictures courtesy: Google images)

Sharing Shrikhand

For International Lunch at school this weekend, Anna wanted to take Shrikhand to share with her friends from all over the world. 
We love this homemade Maharashtrian dessert and I thought I should share the recipe with my dear readers. 

Ingredients:

2 cups yoghurt
1/2 cup (or less) sugar
4 teaspoons milk
A pinch of saffron

Method:

Put yoghurt in a thin cotton cloth, tie the bundle, and hang it till all the liquid runs out (approximately 3 hours).
Put saffron in the milk in a small bowl and leave to soak in the refrigerator. 
In a big bowl, blend the hung yoghurt, sugar, milk and saffron till smooth. 
Refrigerate. 

I will not say anything more. The taste speaks for itself and leaves one speechless.

Hanging out in a Hammock

There's nothing like a hammock. 

For you, dear reader, a hammock may bring memories of a holiday, of carefree days, of freedom, and so on.
 
A couple of weeks ago we bought a hammock and tied it between two shady trees in our front garden.
That moment of laying down in it for the first time was unforgettable. The branches of the trees made a sheltered network that let the blue sky peep through. The parrots feasting on the fruits of the trees ignored our presence after a while when we lay still and considered us as a part of their safe world. 
The Eastern breeze was laden with the scent of rainfall. 
With the onset of monsoon in India, the weather becomes pleasantly breezy in Muscat and offers some respite from the scorching heat. 
The chatter of birds, the cradling of the hammock by the gentle breeze, soon lulls one into sleep.
Our hammock has now become a family favourite. It is also a place where Anna's friends 'hang out'.  

It's amazing how this hammock - a humble piece of fabric tied up with strings on either side in natural surroundings -  provides a relaxation experience that is unmatched by any four-poster bed in a fine hotel. 

(Our hammock has inspired us to be creative. Above is Anna's creation as she captured the network of trees against the sky on my phone camera and played with the mirror image options.)

A Blonde Moment

I am not blonde and I do not think I am dumb. 
The second-half of the above statement is a subjective observation. 

Most of my blonde friends are very sharp women who have never had a 'blonde moment'. However, we hear dumb blonde jokes and enjoy them if tastefully told. 

And, sometimes, I have my own blonde moments. 

More than once I have tried to open the front door with the car key and vice verse.

Sometimes, I ask unnecessary questions.
Recently, as I was returning home after a stroll in the evening, I met our neighbours - a soft-spoken couple from Kerala.  They were wearing t-shirts, track pants, and walking shoes. 
I asked them,
"So, are you going for a walk?"
Almost instantly, I realised that this was one of my classic blonde moments.  I frantically wished that the spoken word had an 'undo' button. 
Our neighbours could have answered, "No, we are going for a swim" or "No, we are going to the opera".
Thankfully, they are too polite, so they looked at each other, smiled, and the husband said, 
"Yes, that is the plan. Let's see how far we go."

My friends reassure me that one doesn't have to be a blonde to have a 'blonde moment', it happens sometimes because of forgetfulness or by accident. 
I have my doubts. 
Polar bears actually don't have white hair, do they? 

Getting Knotty

A lady went to visit the Grand Mosque with her friends.

One of her friends was not appropriately dressed to visit the mosque. 

So the lady took a length of black silk fabric and dextrously tied up some knots to make a fine gown. 

This inspired her to create more such no-sew, no-cut 'dresses'.

Last month she held a fashion show at the Royal Opera House in Muscat. 

The lady is Sarah Wanda Topolska Shanfari and her show was entitled 'Magical Knots'. 

We simply loved it. At home we tried our own hand at making such 'dresses' and had spectacular results. Why don't you give it a try?

Pure Rice Pancakes

These pure rice pancakes have a grace that is unparalleled by any other type of pancake. 
Perhaps it is the simplicity of this humble pancake which gives it its unique flavour. 

In Vasai we call these pancakes 'polas' and it is a tradition to make them on festive occasions such as parish feasts and St. John's feast (popularly known as the son-in-law's feast because the sons-in-law are invited and honoured on this day).

You cannot go wrong with the recipe because it is ultra- simple:  you just make a dripping paste of rice flour by adding water and then add salt to taste and a teaspoon of oil. Adding a beaten egg is optional. 

The most important thing required for making these pancakes is a  heavy-bottomed pan. 

Put the pan on medium-high heat, lightly grease it with oil, and spoon out the rice batter evenly to form a thin pancake. 
You will be delighted to see a lacy pattern develop on the pancake accompanied by a gentle sizzling sound.  
Flip the pancake over when it leaves the sides of the pan. Remove after a minute and put it on wire rack or bamboo basket to allow the steam to escape. 
Stack the pancakes when cooled. 

Serve for breakfast with honey, jam, maple syrup, etc. 
(We have been having them almost everyday for breakfast for the last six months since we got a heavy-bottomed pan! Same old, same old, but still a favourite! Featured in the pictures are the ones we made today.)

Traditionally it is served for lunch or dinner with spicy curries.

Super-quick Mixed Sabzi

There's life after instant noodles, you know. 

To those of you who are woebegone after the sale of a certain brand of instant 2-minute noodles was banned in some states of India, here is an option you would like to try for a quick, healthy meal in minutes. 

Super-Quick Vegetable Sabzi

Ingredients:

2 onions
2 potatoes
2 tomatoes
1/2 cauliflower
1 green capsicum
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon chilli powder 
1 pinch of asafoetida (hing)
salt to taste

Method:

Chop all vegetables into 1/2 inch cubes.
Heat oil in a pan.
Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, chilli powder and asafoetida.
Add chopped vegetables and salt.
Mix well. 
Cook covered on medium heat for 5 minutes.  
Remove cover and cook for 5 more minutes while stirring. 

Serve with rice/chappati, yogurt, and cucumber. 


 

Dancing with Giusi

We don't cry anymore when dear friends leave us. 
As expats, comings and goings are a part of life and we have become used to such a life. 
This 'getting used to' comings and goings helps in the larger scheme of things and accepting the facts of life. 
However, yesterday we became emotional when Giusi came to meet us after the final dance performance that she had choreographed at the PDO Club. 
...

We were introduced to Giuseppina Rondinelli about five years ago by another Italian friend, Alessandra. 
As Giusi shook hands with me, I noticed her twinkling eyes, her beautiful smile and her petiteness. She had the confident air of someone who is blessed with a special talent and knows it. Such people walk on this earth with a rare grace.  

Soon, Giusi started giving dancing lessons to little girls as an after school activity. Our Anna enrolled for this class and at the end of the term, they put up a show in the staffroom. Parent's cameras captured the moves that Giusi had taught the girls - some elegant, some jumpy, some deliberately funny, and some impromptously hilarious.

A couple of years later, Giusi started her regular Friday morning Zumba and contemporary dance class at Marlin Hall. The most unique thing about this class was that the teacher was full of enthusiasm and boundless energy and taught free of charge. Our Anna found dancing so delightful that she did not want to miss a single lesson. 
As the class grew, the dancers started wearing their trademark black vest and tights. They performed at the Kinderfeest and also had an annual show in the Cinema Hall.  
With the popularity of these events, the pupil's numbers increased so much that Giusi divided them into three batches - Beginners, Intermediate, and Advanced. 
This year, the Club decided to make this class more formal by forming a Committee. 
The annual show that Giusi and the Dance Committee put up last weekend was a sold-out success.  Many mums volunteered to help in different ways and I volunteered to do the make-up. 
As our little girls danced on stage, our hearts danced with joy. 

...

As the girls were getting ready to go on stage after the make-up on the first day of the show, I saw Katya dashing to the washroom with her face wet and make-up dripping down her chin. The other girls were looking on painfully. 
"What happened?" I asked Anna "Did Katya fall, did she get hurt?"
"No Mama, she is crying because Guisi is leaving" Anna said sadly while controlling her own tears. 
It was touching to see the pupil's love for their beloved teacher. Respect can be commanded but love has to be inspired. 
Katya's make-up was redone but Giusi's leaving, unfortunately, cannot be undone. 
...

Friday after Friday after Friday, this lovely Italian lady had created magic by turning on loud music and getting our girls to follow her steps. Giusi will continue to be with the girls whenever they dance to the familiar tunes. 
At the last 'circle time' they had, Giusi told the girls, "Dancing is a passion, it comes from within you. Keep dancing."
Many girls there had taken their first dancing steps with Giusi and thought that dancing happened only around her. To them she said, "Dancing is not only about Giusi, it is about you and the joy you feel when you dance."

...

Giusi and I shared a special friendship.
We visited each other in sickness and in health. We took walks and talked about our children, our deepest concerns, and life in general.   
Our family will surely miss this dear friend and her family when they leave for Belgium.  In our hearts, we know she will create magic wherever she goes because she is specially blessed. 
Talented people dance on this earth with a rare grace.

 

Sinful spirals of sweetness

For many people, tea and coffee times are life's little pleasures. 
If accompanied by freshly-baked tea-time treats, this routine pleasure acquires the aura of a ceremony. 

We never thought that we could make Cinnamon Rolls at home till Dhanya's mum sent us a sample from her first batch. They were gone in minutes and we followed it with a request for the recipe. She immediately obliged and we made our own batch the very next day. 

These sinful spirals of sweetness are a perfect treat if you, dear readers, are planning a children's playdate or a tea/coffee with friends. 

Here is Dhanya's mum's recipe with tweaked measurements:

Ingredients:

1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup butter
1 egg
salt to taste
3 cups all purpose flour / maida
250 ml warm water
1/2 teaspoon instant yeast

Filling:

3/4 cup brown sugar
4 teaspoons cinnamon powder
1 cup walnuts, raisins, dates, etc. (optional, tastes better with walnuts though)

Icing:

1 cup caster sugar/icing sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder (of course!)
1-2 tablespoons milk

Method:

Mix butter and sugar.
Add egg and mix.
Add salt.
Dissolve yeast separately in warm water. 
Add this water to the egg mixture alternately with the flour.
When perfectly mixed, knead on a well-floured board for 1-2 minutes. 
Place the dough ball in a large, greased bowl and allow to rise till doubled in size. 
When ready, punch down, knead, and roll out into a large oval. 
Brush with melted butter. 
Sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon powder mixture. 
Spread nuts. 
Roll up tightly from the longest side and pinch the seams. 
Slice at 1 inch intervals.
Place spirals in a greased baking tray, 1 inch apart.
Allow to rise for about 1 hour.
Bake in a preheated oven at 190 degree Celsius for 20-25 minutes or until golden.
Pour icing over hot rolls. 
Enjoy your tea-time!

We tried making these with our favourite chappati atta once but they turned out neither delicious nor sinful. 
As you know, dear reader, in this world, it is the sinful things which are most tempting. ;) 

 

Auntie Elvira's World- famous Cakes

After several requests from friends all over the world, the cupcake recipe that I am going to post today is from memory and not from a cookbook. 

The master recipe is from one of the world's best cooks - our Auntie Elvira.

It is such a versatile recipe that we can go along adding our own 'twists' and the cupcakes still turn out delicious.

Over the years, I have taken so many liberties with this recipe that it would even baffle Auntie Elvira. Please don't tell her that I once even used bottle gourd instead of the original carrot that starred in her blockbuster recipe.

And now presenting the ingredient credits (in the order of appearance):

1 cup vegetable oil / butter
1 cup caster sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla essence (optional)

1 1/2 cup plain flour (we use chappati atta!)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup grated carrots (or grated apple/mashed banana... or any other fruit you like!)

Camera, Lights, Action! - In other words, Method:

Preheat oven to 180 C.  (Cannot find the '0' for 'degree' on this keypad.)
Keep paper cupcake moulds ready in a baking tray. If using a cupcake tray, grease it with butter/oil.

We are going to make two mixtures - Wet and Dry.

Wet mixture:
Mix oil/butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl.
Add eggs, mix.
Add vanilla essence, mix.

Dry mixture:
In another bowl, sieve flour, baking powder, and baking soda. 

Now, add the Dry mixture spoon by spoon to the Wet mixture. Mix well after each spoonful. 
Lastly add grated carrots and mix.  

Spoon out the mixture into the cupcake moulds. 
Set the tray in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. 

(Makes 18)

Top tips compiled by Auntie Elvira (Director), Avanti, her daughter, and yours truly (Asst. Directors), Anna (Art Director):

1) If making a loaf cake, simply pour the mixture into a greased loaf tin and bake for 45-50 minutes.
2) If adding nuts, dust them with the Dry mixture and add them in the end. 
3) Add your cinnamon powder or your favourite spice powder instead of vanilla essence for amazing aroma. We use a Dutch spice mixture called Speculaas.
4) Substitute carrots with mashed banana, grated pineapple, apple, orange, lemon, dates, coconut, cucumber, grapes, blueberries....
Come on, you can be imaginative too! Share your experiments with us too.
5) Don't mix for too long. 
6) For simple icing, mix rose water and icing sugar and pour on cakes after baking.
7) Decorate with 'hundreds and thousands' (featured on top of the cupcakes in the above picture), chocolate scrapings, etc.
8) If you want to keep it simple, just dust icing sugar on top for an elegant finish. 
9) Freeze any extras.
10) Share!


(Picture courtesy: Anna Lemos)