Little Girls…or Miniature Women?

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Ok, here’s a warning, rant coming on, so leave now if you want…

On Friday night, BB & GG had their music concert, which I wrote earlier. There I realised that most people found it very normal to put on make-up to their little girls – some as young as three and four!

My view about this is fairly straitforward – GG gets to wear make-up when she turns 15. If there are compeling reasons to wear make-up earlier, it will not be anytime before secondary school (13 or thereabouts) and then too it has be something very light – maybe lipgloss when she goes out. I am not discounting the odd make-up when is forced to wear it (like a performance in school etc), but in situations where it is not needed, I totally dislike it on young girls. According to me putting on chemicals on their faces now will lead to many problems later on in life. Also they are children, not miniature adults! Is there a need to make them look like adults so soon? Let them enjoy their childhood first. Are the parents even aware what is in the cosmetics that they are putting on their daughters? Have they read labels? This has the makings of their faces looking older than their real ages by the time they reach their mid-twenties. Even if the girls ask for it, isn’t it our jobs as parents to not let them do it?

The show on Friday was a very casual one with just the children who learn from this particular teacher and their parents. I saw girls with full make-up (by this I mean eyeshadow, eye liner, blush, lipstick and nail polish) while the others did variations of the theme. I think GG along with just 2-3 other girls was sans makeup at all. The colours used were the real dark colours like dark red and burgundy.

Another thing which gets my goat is the same young girls wearing shoes with heels. The same rule that applies for make-up applies for shoes for GG, although she has been longing for heels. When heels are said not be good even for adults, imagine what it would do to a young girl’s feet even before it has had a chance to fully grow!

Ok rant over, we can all go back to our lives now

What do you think about girls being allowed to wear make-up and heels before they should?

In My Hands Today…..

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How to Marry a Marquis – Julia Quinn

When Elizabeth Hotchkiss stumbles upon a copy of “How to Marry a Marquis” in her employers library, she’s convinced someone is playing a joke. But with three younger siblings to support she has to marry for money, so a guidebook to seduction might be just the thing she needs – and what harm could there be in taking a little peek?

James Sidwell, the Marquis of Riverdale, has been summoned to rescue his aunt from a blackmailer. And, posing as the new estate manager, his primary suspect is his aunt’s companion – Elizabeth. Intrigued by the alluring young woman with a curious rulebook, he gallantly offers to help her find a husband – by allowing her to practise her wiles on him. But when practise becomes all too perfect, James decides that there is only rule worth following – that Elizabeth marry her marquis.

Kadhi

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One of my favourite things to make when I can’t think of anything else to make is Gujarati Kadhi. This dish comes from the western state of Gujarat and was taught to me by a friend in college – M. The recipe has undergone many changes in the years that I’ve been making it. Kadhi can also be drunk as a yoghurt soup. The taste is a bit sour with slightly sweet undertone.

Ingredients:

2 cups slightly sour yoghurt

2 tablespoons gram flour (besan)

2 tsp salt

2 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp cumin seed powder (jeera powder)

1 tsp coriander seed powder (dhaniya powder)

2 green chillies, cut into big pieces and slightly smashed

2 inch piece ginger cut into fairly big chunks and slightly smashed

3 cups of water

For the tempering

1 tsp oil

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

a handful of curry leaves

1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds (methi seeds)

2 dried red chillies, broken

coriander leaves to garnish

Method:

In a big vessel, beat the yoghurt well and keep aside. In another smaller bowl take the besan and add the spices (salt, sugar, chilli powder, coriander seed powder, cumin seed powder) and beat well. Mix this with the yoghurt, adding water to make the consistency. Now add the ginger and green chillies. Leave it aside for about 10 minutes, this will allow the flavours to blend in well. Now put it on the gas and let it simmer for another 10 minutes making sure that gas is low and the mixture does not come to a rolling boil. When it starts boiling switch off the gas. In another small skillet, heat the oil and put the mustard in first. When it starts sputtering, put in the cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, curry leaves and the dried red chillies. Stir it for a couple of seconds and then put the whole mixture into the kadhi. Garnish with coriander leaves and eat hot with rice or rotis or even drink it like a soup!