2018 Week 49 Weekly Update

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Another week has gone by and we are closer to 2019! Nothing really happened this week. The children are still having their holidays and even I am in a lazy mode with no real mood to do anything, except chill and read!

The coming week is going to be quite busy for us with some family time planned and so I should have better updates then.

We also decided not to go on a holiday, even to a neighbouring country as everything was super expensive. We almost booked the tickets and hotel last weekend, but at the last minute, I decided against it as it felt more like going some place just because we had to do it rather than because we wanted to do it!

I am going to stop this update here because, there’s really nothing much to say this week. Have a wonderful week folks! 

In My Hands Today…

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Taj Mahal: Passion and Genius at the Heart of the Moghul Empire – Diana Preston, Michael Preston

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While Galileo suffered under house arrest at the hands of Pope Urban VIII, the Thirty Years War ruined Europe, and the Pilgrims struggled to survive in the New World, work began on what would become one of the Seven Wonders of the World: the Taj Mahal. Built by the Moghul emperor Shah Jahan as a memorial to his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal, its flawless symmetry and gleaming presence have for centuries dazzled everyone who has seen it, and the story of its creation is a fascinating blend of cultural and architectural heritage. Yet, as Diana & Michael Preston vividly convey in the first narrative history of the Taj, it also reflects the magnificent history of the Moghul Empire itself, for it turned out to mark the high point of the Empire’s glory at the same time as it became a tipping point in Moghul fortunes.

The roots of the Moghul Empire lie with the legendary warriors Genghis Khan and Tamburlaine; at its height it contained 100 million people, from Afghanistan in the north and present-day Pakistan in the west, to Bengal in the east and southwards deep into central India.. With the storytelling skills that characterize their previous books, Diana & Michael Preston bring alive both the grand sweep of Moghul history and the details that make it memorable: the battles and dynastic rivalries that forged the Empire alongside an intimate chronicle of daily life within the imperial palace. A tale of overwhelming passion, the story of the Taj has the cadences of Greek tragedy and the ripe emotion of grand opera, and puts a memorable human face on the marble masterpiece.

In My Hands Today…

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Divorce Islamic Style – Amara Lakhous

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It’s 2005. The Italian secret service has received intel that a group of Muslim immigrants based in the Viale Marconi neighbourhood of Rome is planning a terrorist attack. Christian Mazzari, a young Sicilian who speaks perfect Arabic goes undercover to infiltrate the group and to learn who its leaders are. Christian poses as Issa, a recently arrived Tunisian in search of for a job and a place to sleep. He soon meets Sofia, a young Egyptian immigrant dressed in a burqa who lives in the neighbourhood with her husband Said, a.k.a. Felice, an architect who has reinvented himself in Italy as a pizza cook.

Recipes: Panchratna Dal

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We make dal at least thrice a week at home in various forms, both north and south Indian versions. This time I made a dal with five different types of lentils which is extremely tasty and goes very well with both rice and flatbread. Try it as a different take on your usual dal at home.

Panchratna Dal

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup toovar dal
  • 1/4 cup chana dal
  • 1/4 cup whole urad dal
  • 1/4 cup yellow moong dal
  • 1/4 cup masoor dal
  • 2 medium-sized onions, chopped finely
  • 3 medium sized tomatoes, chopped finely
  • 2-inch piece of ginger, grated
  • 1 tbsp ghee
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1/8 tsp asafoetida
  • 2 green chillies, chopped finely
  • 1 tsp coriander powder
  • 1/2 tsp coriander powder
  • 1 tsp kasuri methi
  • Salt to taste
  • Coriander leaves to garnish

Method:

  • Wash the lentils thoroughly and then soak them in hot water for about an hour.
  • Then pressure cook the lentils with just enough water to cover the lentils with the turmeric powder and pressure cook for four whistles. If you are cooking the lentils in a pan, cook until the lentils are completely cooked and broken down.
  • When the pressure in the cooker reduces, whisk the dals well so that they are completely broken down and form a creamy mass.
  • In the meantime, heat a pan and add the ghee to it. When the ghee warms, add the cumin seeds. When the cumin seeds splutter, add the asafoetida to it.
  • Now add the grated ginger and stir for a couple of minutes. When the ginger starts to brown, add the finely chopped onions and stir well and allow the onions to brown.
  • Then add the finely chopped tomatoes and the coriander powder along with some salt and cook well till the onions are soft and mushy and you can see the oil starting to leave the sides of the pan.
  • Now pour this onion-tomato mixture to the whisked lentils and let it boil on a low to medium flame. Add water to get to your desired consistency. Check for seasoning. Let the dal boil on a low to medium flame for 10-15 minutes, stirring intermittently. 
  • Crush the kasuri methi in your palms and sprinkle it over the dal and let it simmer for a couple of minutes more.
  • Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice or rotis.

Note:

  • You can also add garlic to this recipe. I didn’t because I didn’t have it at home. If adding garlic, add it just before adding the ginger. You can either grate the garlic or make a paste of it. Ginger can also be made into a paste or you can also make a paste of ginger or garlic together.
  • You can also add a dash of lemon juice just before serving if you want this dish to be slightly sourish.