A Quote by Paul Cézanne aptly describes our current situation.
“We live in a rainbow of chaos.”
The world, has always been disorderly but now even more so.
And in the midst of this chaos, let’s take a moment to appreciate the colourful craziness we’re part of.
As if to reinforce this, a gorgeous parrot appeared in my garden.
Saving my Sanity #onedishatatime
Wanted to make potatoes I drooled over in a @alankanreviews post.
Steamed cubed potatoes to soften,
Sliced 2 large onions, got the chilli flakes and lemon juice ready,
Then..
I had to, just had to..
adulterate the original recipe by
Adding soy protein.
Fried onions, soy faux-meat, ginger, added chilli powder instead of chilli flakes, potatoes until well coated and crispy. Did not add lemon juice, instead generously sprinkled toasted sesame seeds.
Tasted great with white rice for the fanily and quinoa/brown rice for me.
Saving my Sanity #onedishatatime
With a bag of spinach leaves, and
a vaccum sealed mound of haloumi.
Cut the haloumi into cubes.
Sauteed cubes in gingerly oil/nallanai.
Sprinkled turmeric powder, coarsely ground black pepper,
Added the spinach leaves and gave it a quick toss.
Garnished with fried shallots and toasted sesame seeds. (Yes, leftovers from yesterday’s Chee Cheong Fun).
Disclaimer – Old post. A Week Old.
A busy day.
Good busy.
Daughter#1 collected helium balloons while the birthday girl attended an online lecture.
Parent#1 had some lectures to conduct while parent#2 shopped for the evening party.
Carted helium balloons, 2 huge 2 and 1 balloons, to the lunch venue.
Met her gorgeous friends.
While they tucked into impressive Turkish cuisine, parent #1 and #2, daughter #1 decorated the home turf, prepped the evening meal for the upcoming sleepover party.
Menu (vegan, vegetarian).
Fried rice.
Fried noodles.
Rojak – fruit vege salad.
Satay.
Sri Lankan Rolls.
Chee Cheong Fun got deleted off the menu as the girls were stuffed from lunch.
Rainbow cake.
Krispy Kreme glaced Doughnuts.
Leftover baklavas and Turkish delight from lunch.
Leftover lunch’s birthday cake.
Drink – bandung – rose syrup in milk, with black jelly.
Chocolate biscuits and tiny round biscuits with coloured icing.
I believe the the girls had so much fun.
Online global party as she cut her cake and watched some weird videos created about her and for her.
Watched a thriller, comedy, chick flick.
Serious discussions in the midst of the laughter, chit chat.
Covid. Racism. Recycling…and overheard this gem.
“The only recycling we do is recycling our history”.
Proud of our young women.
Photos show bandung, and rojak. Apologies, forgot to capture the rest.
A Migration from yesterday’s Thai, Indian, Chinese and Kiwi fusion to tonight’s
Chee Cheong Fun.
An extremely popular Cantonese snack in Malaysia.
Steamed rice noodle rolls.
Originated from Guangdong Province in southern China.
Cut rolls into half inch thick pieces,
Chopped spring onions.
Toasted sesame seeds,
fried shallots,
Used ready made Hoisin Sauce and Sri Racha chilli sauce.
Boiled vegan Yong Tau Fu (tofu stuffed with carrots, corn) in a light soup.
To assemble,
Poured hoisin sauce over a plate of chee cheong fun.
Added some Sri Racha sauce.
Sprinkled toasted sesame seeds, shallots, spring onions.
Added tofu pieces as a side serve.
Lunch by Daughter#1 and Parent#1.
Tomyam fried rice. Ooh, spicy!
Parent#1 decided it needed another dish to go with it and served up a
Cauliflower Manchurian.
Then, Daughter#1 took it a step further and carved up some
Carrot flowers and Normal Sliced Cucumber.
Love these competitions – the rest of the house benefits.
And the Thai, Indo Chinese Fusion flavours are to die for!
Last Saturday. Or was it the Saturday before last, hubby and I hosted a teensy weensy dinner party.
Some friends called up and said they’d like to drop in.
Post lockdown. Level 1.
Decided to cook them an Asian meal.
Just a small on the side, note, we have been greatly influenced by these duo challenges, too much TV during lockdown – My Kitchen Rules, Amazing Race..
While car was at a safety recall, air bag replacement, during our walk up some incredibly hilly route, we chatted, meaning, he chatted and I panted.
Came to some sort of agreement on the menu.
Collected car, got groceries, ingredients sorted.
Had a light lunch.
Rested.
Began Prep.
For once, in our 29 years of marriage, we worked almost well together.
I bit my tongue when stuff flew as he pounded the dried chillies and onions; I graciously lent him my chopping board.
I caught myself thinking aloud “Now I’m going to marinate blah blah..”.
As if there were cameras in my kitchen, sigh, I’m imagining I’m in MKR.
The evening turned out quite well with an Asian Vegan Meal.
My first post, post lockdown.
On a self imposed hiatus.
Languished in batik housecoats for work, old sarees, unironed mismatched saree blouses, salwar pants and baggy kurtas for classes.
And let my hair grow grey. Not that it wasn’t already grey.
And let the kgs pile on.
Home cooking. Loving the rice.
Lots of long walks though.
Now, a jolt back to reality.
The New Reality as we know it.
Back to face to face sessions at the work place.
At lockdown level 1, some hugging, but still disinfecting equipment, work spaces, hands, using PPE, when necessary.
Insecurities surface.
Not resurface.
Surface.
With the New Normal,
external
and
internal.
In all this, took a day off to celebrate husband’s birthday. Last week.
Visited a beautiful temple in picturesque Kumeu.
Draped my favourite teal blue linen silk, which also looks sky blue in certain lighting, with royal blue checked borders and white and teal striped pallu. My first linen. Absolutely smooth and comfy, an easy drape. Got it when I went to get 2 sarees for my girls, returned with an additional 2 for myself. Only the second time I’ve draped it. The first was for Deepavali last year.
Husband clicked some shots at Kumeu, daughter as usual clicked some in her yellow bedroom.
Have posted a shot from Deepavali last year too.
A Dysfunctional Weekend Lunch much like the family who will devour it.
A Simple Sunday Dinner.
Upma, roasted coarse semolina with more veges than semolina. Added crushed cashews.
Got some giant chillies for a song.
Made a chilli pickle to go with the upma.
Even tried plating for once.
And of course, watched MKR and imagined my upma was the risotto the chefs were serving up.
Bavani’s Happy Place 