In My Hands Today…

Family Matters – Rohinton Mistry

Rohinton Mistry’s enthralling novel is at once a domestic drama and an intently observed portrait of present-day Bombay in all its vitality and corruption. At the age of seventy-nine, Nariman Vakeel, already suffering from Parkinson’s disease, breaks an ankle and finds himself wholly dependent on his family. His step-children, Coomy and Jal, have a spacious apartment (in the inaptly named Chateau Felicity), but are too squeamish and resentful to tend to his physical needs.

Nariman must now turn to his younger daughter, Roxana, her husband, Yezad, and their two sons, who share a small, crowded home. Their decision will test not only their material resources but, in surprising ways, all their tolerance, compassion, integrity, and faith. Sweeping and intimate, tragic and mirthful, Family Matters is a work of enormous emotional power.

Thai Style Inspired Green Apple Salad

I haven’t been cooking in a long time, in fact ever since my present helper came on board – 2 years ago! When she takes her weekly off on Sundays, I usually just put together something, nothing that I take effort to make, or make old favourites that everyone likes. So me cooking this dish is unusual in the current scenario.

I usually have a salad with every meal and was getting tired of the same ole, same ole vegetable salad! Then saw some green apples at home and went online to see if there were any recipes that I could use or adapt. I came across this one and felt this was something I could adapt for us. So here’s my version of a Thai Style Inspired Green Apple Salad

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Ingredients:

  • 2 medium sized green apples
  • 8 strawberries
  • 2 smallish red onions
  • A handful of raw peanuts
  • A handful of raw cashewnuts
  • 2-3 tbsp olive oil
  • Salt, sugar and lemon juice to taste
  • A bit of freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Cut the red onions into thin slices. Heat oil in a pan and first fry the peanuts and cashew nuts till they are crisp. Take out and drain in kitchen paper. In the same oil, fry the onion till they become brown and crisp. Drain on kitchen tissues.

Chop the strawberries into halves and chop them lengthwise. Make thinish slices of the green apple, and chop it into matchsticks. Add the sugar and salt and keep aside.

Just before eating, add the onions and nuts to the salad. Season with lemon juice and freshly ground pepper and enjoy!!

We ate this with Moong Dal Khichadi (recipe coming soon)

Note: Make this salad as close to the eating as possible as the green apples will turn brown otherwise. Also, if the green apples are sour, you can skip the lemon juice altogether.

Verdict: Yummy and different from what I usually make. My version was a tad sour, so when I make it again, I will either go easy on the lemon juice or omit it.

In My Hands Today…

The Twentieth Wife (Taj Mahal Trilogy #1) – Indu Sundaresan

An enchanting historical epic of grand passion and adventure, this debut novel tells the captivating story of one of India’s most controversial empresses – a woman whose brilliance and determination trumped myriad obstacles, and whose love shaped the course of the Mughal Empire.

Skillfully blending the textures of historical reality with the rich and sensual imaginings of a timeless fairy tale, The Twentieth Wife sweeps readers up in Mehrunnisa’s embattled love with Prince Salim, and in the bedazzling destiny of a woman – a legend in her own time — who was all but lost to history until now.

Taj Mahal Trilogy

2015 Week 4: Weekly Update

Hello there February, why did you come in so early….You could have taken your time…But seriously, is it just me or does anyone else feel that January just went galloping by!

A mixed week in terms of food choices – I made some good and some not-so-good choices while eating. So weight has also been stagnant, no increase, but no reduction either!

Work, like I mentioned last week, the thing that HR sounded me about, came true and the only small consolation is that it has been made clear that it’s an interim solution. So I decided that “If life gives you lemons, let’s make lemonade!” I decided that if I am to work with this person, then I will learn something new from him/her and also showcase what I know about this person’s area of expertise before it ends. So let’s see how this all pans out…

Other than that, life goes on…I really feel I have a really boring life – no excitement, no fun…But then this year is all about GG & BB, once their life post-primary school has been settled to the best of our ability, I’ll feel so much more relieved!

Okie, here’s a funny work video to brighten up your Monday!

PSLE Year Week 4/Month 1 Updates

And we’re in February! Where did January go and that too so quickly! Now the countdown to the PSLE exams is just eight months! Yiikes!!!

BB & GG will their first Continous Assessment (CA1) in week 6, which is next week. They have English on the 9th, Maths on the 10th, Mother Tongue on the 12th (which BB & GG will sit out as their school does not offer their choice) and Science on the 13th.

This test will be followed by a Parent-Teacher meeting just before they close the term. We have to go on two different days as both BB & GG’s classes have PTM on different days. This means taking time off work twice. Well, we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.

This test is important for all of us as it will show where our children are and what course corrections we can do so that they shine at the PSLE exams…