2019 Secondary 4 Week 41 Update

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After attending GG’s graduation ceremony last week, this week I attended BB’s graduation ceremony. Unfortunately S was unable to make it this time as he had some unmissable work commitments. Fortunately for me, I met a fellow parent whom I’ve known since BB started this school. Her son was is also from the same CCA as BB and who is the only other student who was offered a place in the same course that BB was offered a place in. So our children will be classmates in the future and it’s good that BB has a known face going into the new school.

BB’s graduation was very different from the one we saw in GG’s school last week. There were less speeches and all the sec 4 form made a short video which I thought was a nice gesture where they sort of danced and wished the class of 2019 all the best for their exams. They also sang the school song for the very last time (according to the emcees) and at the very end they got a special badge with the words “Class of 2019” and a graduation certificate. BB also got a badge at the begining of his journey in this school in secondary one and both badges were given by their form teachers, so this is something I really appreciate the school for.

We are down to around 2 weeks to go for the O levels and as I have mentioned before I am just counting down the days when the exams end as are the children.

Have a great Sunday!

In My Hands Today…

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Sisters of the Sword – Maya Snow & Helen Hart

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Kimi dreams of being a great samurai warrior, but she and her sister, Hana, are young ladies of feudal Japan, daughters of the “Jito” of the province. Her future seems clear: Girls do not become samurai.

Then, betrayal shatters the sisters’ world. Their power-hungry uncle murders their father, and their mother and little brother mysteriously disappear. Determined to seek revenge and restore their honour, they disguise themselves as boys to train at a school for samurai. Kimi and Hana are thrown headlong into a life of warrior codes, sharp swords, and shadowy figures–as they work with fierce determination to avenge the brutal wrongs done to their family.

In a flash, life has swept them into a terrible adventure, more heart-pounding than Kimi and Hana ever could have imagined . . . and once it has been set in motion, nothing will ever be the same.

Navratri Recipes: Green Peas Sundal

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Another day during Navratri and another sundal to offer the Goddess. The Sundal this time is made of fresh peas and is another super quick recipe. You could make this as a quick afternoon snack when the children are home from school and it is also very healthy to boot! This is a far cry from the commercial and suage and salt laden biscuits and sweets that are usually eaten.

Green Peas Sundal

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups fresh or frozen green peas
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds
  • 1 tsp urad dal
  • 1/8 tsp asafoetida powder
  • 4-5 curry leaves
  • 1 tsp green chilli paste
  • 2-3 tbsp grated coconut
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • Lemon juice to taste
  • Salt to taste
  • Coriander leaves to garnish

Method:

  • Soak the frozen green peas in hot water for 15 minutes and then cook them in a microwave or the stovetop till the peas are cooked, but still retain their green colour. Drain and keep aside.
  • Heat the oil in a pan and when the oil is warm, add the mustard seeds and let them pop.
  • Then add the urad dal and let it start to brown. Next add the asafoetida powder, curry leaves and green chilli paste and stir for a couple of seconds.
  • Now add the boiled and drained green peas and season with salt. Stir for a few minutes.
  • Then drizzle the lemon juice and add the coconut and stir well to mix into the peas.
  • Garnish with coriander leaves and serve warm or cold as a salad or snack.

In My Hands Today…

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By Gaslight – Steven Price

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London, 1885. In a city of fog and darkness, the notorious thief Edward Shade exists only as a ghost, a fabled con, a thief of other men’s futures — a man of smoke.

William Pinkerton is already famous, the son of a brutal detective when he descends into the underworld of Victorian London in pursuit of a new lead. His father died without ever tracing Shade; William, still reeling from his loss, is determined to drag the thief out of the shadows.

Adam Foole is a gentleman without a past, haunted by a love affair ten years gone. When he receives a letter from his lost beloved, he returns to London in search of her; what he learns of her fate, and its connection to the man known as Shade, will force him to confront a grief he thought long-buried.

What follows is a fog-enshrouded hunt through sewers, opium dens, drawing rooms, and seance halls. Above all, it is the story of the most unlikely of bonds: between William Pinkerton, the greatest detective of his age, and Adam Foole, the one man who may hold the key to finding Edward Shade.

Navratri Recipes: Chana Dal Sundal

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Since it’s the festival of Navratri going on, I am making some kind of Sundal every day as an offering or neividhyam to the Goddess. Today’s Sundal is a simple and delicious Sundal made out of Chana Dal. This is easy to make and took me less than 10 minutes to make (without taking into account the soak time). This is a definite keeper for me.

Chana Dal Sundal

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups chana dal
  • 2-3 tbsp grated coconut
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds
  • 1 tsp split urad dal
  • 4-5 curry leaves
  • 3-4 dried red chillies, broken
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1/4 tsp asafoetida powder
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp grated ginger
  • Salt to taste
  • Coriander leaves to garnish

Method:

  • Soak the chana dal in hot water for 1-2 hours.
  • Cook the chana dal in the same pan it was soaked in with 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, salt and 1/8 tsp asafoetida in enough water on the stove till it gets cooked, but still retains it’s shape. Remove from the flame and drain and cool the chana dal.
  • If you plan to use the pressure cooker, just cook it for a max of 2 whistles. Remove from the cooker when the pressure goes down and drain the chana dal.
  • In another pan, heat the oil and when it warms up, add the mustard seeds and let the seeds pop.
  • Then add the urad dal, remaining asafoetida, curry leaves, grated ginger and broken dried red chillies and stir for a few seconds.
  • Now pour in the drained chana dal and stir well to mix everything for a few minutes.
  • Switch off the flame and add the lemon juice and grated coconut. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve as a salad or side with a south indian meal.

For more Navratri Sundal recipes, here are some other recipes: