A cliched phrase that has been used all over by all and sundry. But then there comes a time when a dream really comes true and then you realise the depth of the three words.
The other day I was watching Oprah Winfrey and saw two sisters meeting each other after some 35 odd years and they did know about their mutual existence all these years but circumstances prevented then to get together. Then came a news item the other day of a labourer in Dubai winning the Post Card Millionarre and I could see the gleam on his face in the news print. Both these cases they expected some result to happen and a dream came true!!
There are other situations, and I am talking about only the positive ones out here, where things happen unexpectedly to you. A raise that you did not expect(thats an oxymoron!!!), a long lost friend that you never expected to meet, a free ticket to a sold out concert.
From the mundane to the extraordinary, these accidental moments do make up for all the small negative events that occur off and on. Perhaps a lot of times its not good to dream!! But that might go against some who say that first you should dream and then drive towards making it happen. I am not preaching anything..I am just waiting(oops)...rather not waiting for that positive stroke.
And if I have managed to suitably bore you, that was not expected by you, right?
Sphere: Related Content
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Monday, April 14, 2008
Rules of the GAME : Dubai RTA Bus
The Dubai Bus system is an adventure by itself. To begin with you cannot really plan your journey in terms of start and finish time (even on a day when there is hardly any traffic). There are time tables at the bus stops but I guess the only people who follow them are the commuters and not the bus drivers!! So you land up at the bus stop and I am sure Mr. Murphy would intervene in your plans.
To begin with the bus of your choice may not stop since the driver inside decided that his bus is full (seating and standing). They arrive at this conclusion by using a very complicated calculation. The no. of passengers he can figure out on his rear view mirror is multiplied by the pie (22/7) and if he gets a multiple of 13 then your luck is in jeopardy.
Well let’s say that the situation is better, and he does stop. Now you would need to judge as to where exactly will the front door of the bus be positioned when he brakes. Given that you have judged incorrectly, that is mostly the case, now you just throw your body into the humanity that wants to enter the bus. You may witness if not participate in this jostling Olympics everyday evening at the Trade Center stop when a C2 comes in.
The bigger game would start now. You have no clue whether a bus is capable of taking in standing passengers. I guess that is determined by the date of birth of the driver multiplied by the bus license number, divided by 786. If you get an even number then standing is Ok and if it’s an odd then you are at your odds too.
So next time you plan to take an RTA Bus, make sure your math’s is quick and fast. And I guess if you know the driver, nothing like it!! Sphere: Related Content
To begin with the bus of your choice may not stop since the driver inside decided that his bus is full (seating and standing). They arrive at this conclusion by using a very complicated calculation. The no. of passengers he can figure out on his rear view mirror is multiplied by the pie (22/7) and if he gets a multiple of 13 then your luck is in jeopardy.
Well let’s say that the situation is better, and he does stop. Now you would need to judge as to where exactly will the front door of the bus be positioned when he brakes. Given that you have judged incorrectly, that is mostly the case, now you just throw your body into the humanity that wants to enter the bus. You may witness if not participate in this jostling Olympics everyday evening at the Trade Center stop when a C2 comes in.
The bigger game would start now. You have no clue whether a bus is capable of taking in standing passengers. I guess that is determined by the date of birth of the driver multiplied by the bus license number, divided by 786. If you get an even number then standing is Ok and if it’s an odd then you are at your odds too.
So next time you plan to take an RTA Bus, make sure your math’s is quick and fast. And I guess if you know the driver, nothing like it!! Sphere: Related Content
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Meat Me
This is a favorite meat preparation that came to us from a friend's mom. I have cooked this on multiple occasions and it has always been a hit. I guess you would not be disappointed.
1. Get One Kilo of Lamb/Goat Shoulder Meat(the latter is preferred) that has been cut to medium size cubes. This is not a boneless preparation, so its better that you buy meat with bones and trust me, it makes a major difference. Clean them, fry until light brown and keep aside.
2. Potatoes are not a must, but if you are keen I am not going to deny you the privilege. So for this quantum of meat I suggest you fry about 8 semi spheroids of peeled potatoes and set them aside. Don't fry them too much...just about less than very light brown.
3. In the oil fry mashed onions till about light golden brown. (About 2 onions would do).
4. Add 3 heaped tsp of garlic paste and 1.5 heaped tsp of ginger paste and stir fry for a while. Then add 1 tsp of turmeric powder, 4 tsp of red chilly powder and 2 tsp of cumin powder to the same mix. Also add Stir the pish pash for a while while you add minute quantities of water so that the same does not stick. About 3-4 minutes would do and all this on medium heat.
5. Now you would add back the meat and potatoes that you had set aside.
6. Add about 150 gms of beaten curd and mix well on medium heat.
7. Then sprinkle a bit of soya sauce, tomato sauce and vinegar. Now you would add salt too depending upon the saltiness of your soya sauce.
8. Stir all of this and then add reasonable quantity of water and pressure cook for about 10 minutes. The final preparation should not look like a pond, so go easy on the water.
9. Garnish with Coriander leaves before serving.
That's about it. Goes well with rice or for that matter any Indian or Arabic Breads. Sphere: Related Content
1. Get One Kilo of Lamb/Goat Shoulder Meat(the latter is preferred) that has been cut to medium size cubes. This is not a boneless preparation, so its better that you buy meat with bones and trust me, it makes a major difference. Clean them, fry until light brown and keep aside.
2. Potatoes are not a must, but if you are keen I am not going to deny you the privilege. So for this quantum of meat I suggest you fry about 8 semi spheroids of peeled potatoes and set them aside. Don't fry them too much...just about less than very light brown.
3. In the oil fry mashed onions till about light golden brown. (About 2 onions would do).
4. Add 3 heaped tsp of garlic paste and 1.5 heaped tsp of ginger paste and stir fry for a while. Then add 1 tsp of turmeric powder, 4 tsp of red chilly powder and 2 tsp of cumin powder to the same mix. Also add Stir the pish pash for a while while you add minute quantities of water so that the same does not stick. About 3-4 minutes would do and all this on medium heat.
5. Now you would add back the meat and potatoes that you had set aside.
6. Add about 150 gms of beaten curd and mix well on medium heat.
7. Then sprinkle a bit of soya sauce, tomato sauce and vinegar. Now you would add salt too depending upon the saltiness of your soya sauce.
8. Stir all of this and then add reasonable quantity of water and pressure cook for about 10 minutes. The final preparation should not look like a pond, so go easy on the water.
9. Garnish with Coriander leaves before serving.
That's about it. Goes well with rice or for that matter any Indian or Arabic Breads. Sphere: Related Content
Friday, April 11, 2008
Saturday Egg Canape
This is Chaitali's favourite and I do surprise her with this when I arrive with a few of these and a hot cup of tea and wake her up from her post afternoon siesta on a lazy Saturday.
It goes like this.
1. Take three eggs and beat 'em up. I typcially discard two yolks. So if you require more volume lets say I would suggest throwing away 2/3rds of the number of yolks.
2. Do add some hot pepper and salt to the mix.
3. To make it real hot I sometimes add those Mexican Red Chillies grated into tiny bits. A bengali could be advcnturous in using Dhani Lanka(small dwarf chillies violet-black in colour-abundant in West Bengal, India).
4. Add some milk to the same mix.
5. Beat up the mix to a nice consistency. To beat use a fork or those hand blenders...that would ensure that enough air is taken in by the mix.
6. Heat oil(depends on your tolerance levels) in a sauce pan and once smoking switch off the burner.
7. Pour the mix in the oil and keep stirring.
8. Do not leave the counter and while stirring keep watching the process of solidification.
9. The mix would slowly convert from its liquidy texture to a semi solid soft stuff and then it would have arrived at the "done" state. You might have to switch on the burner once in a while to maintain the heat..but not too much!!! Once done....keep it aside...in fact transfer the "scrambled eggs" in a separate container.
10. Take square slices of bread and cut them into smalletr squares of four!!
11. Pre heat an oven and toast the bread pieces. You could even fry them like croutons but then its again a question of your tolerances on oil consumption.
12. Anyway once done, take a spoon and place reasonable amount of the soft scranbled egg on each bread piece.
13. Thats it and I can assure you that it won't be unlucky for you inspite of the number of this statement. Sphere: Related Content
It goes like this.
1. Take three eggs and beat 'em up. I typcially discard two yolks. So if you require more volume lets say I would suggest throwing away 2/3rds of the number of yolks.
2. Do add some hot pepper and salt to the mix.
3. To make it real hot I sometimes add those Mexican Red Chillies grated into tiny bits. A bengali could be advcnturous in using Dhani Lanka(small dwarf chillies violet-black in colour-abundant in West Bengal, India).
4. Add some milk to the same mix.
5. Beat up the mix to a nice consistency. To beat use a fork or those hand blenders...that would ensure that enough air is taken in by the mix.
6. Heat oil(depends on your tolerance levels) in a sauce pan and once smoking switch off the burner.
7. Pour the mix in the oil and keep stirring.
8. Do not leave the counter and while stirring keep watching the process of solidification.
9. The mix would slowly convert from its liquidy texture to a semi solid soft stuff and then it would have arrived at the "done" state. You might have to switch on the burner once in a while to maintain the heat..but not too much!!! Once done....keep it aside...in fact transfer the "scrambled eggs" in a separate container.
10. Take square slices of bread and cut them into smalletr squares of four!!
11. Pre heat an oven and toast the bread pieces. You could even fry them like croutons but then its again a question of your tolerances on oil consumption.
12. Anyway once done, take a spoon and place reasonable amount of the soft scranbled egg on each bread piece.
13. Thats it and I can assure you that it won't be unlucky for you inspite of the number of this statement. Sphere: Related Content
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