Daily Prompt: Decisions,Decisions

How are you more likely to make an important decision- by reasoning through it, or by going with your gut?

Actually I don’t make decisions important or not by reasoning,neither do I go with my gut. I think for a few minutes and take action.This has been the case with me all my life.

I never think about my ability I go ahead and apply for any course I study,although, I make sure I have the requisite qualification.

There is one thing I do where I apply some reasoning,when I’m traveling by bus this one is whether I should get off at my stop ,near my home or go on to the mall. This is how I do it, what will I accomplish by going to the mall, when I think of it, I’ll go there and enter through one door and come out the other I changed my decision.

Today was the day I went out, my return by bus gave me two options, go straight to the mall, walk around to get my required steps,I’m wearing the Garmin which records the number of steps I take from early morning till bedtime. The reasoning was not convincing enough, I decided I’d go home instead which is what I did.

As it happens I was fortunate, I succeeded in reaching my goal by 5PM. What did I do I worked in the kitchen, I had plenty of occasion to walk in my kitchen.

My decision to avoid the mall worked. I know it’s not worth mentioning, but I did make the right decision by my reasoning.

……………………………. 🙂

Tagore song: kholo kholodar rakhio na aar bahiray amai daray, posted and translated by Ranu

Open , open the door,

Do not keep me waiting outside.

Respond to my call,

Look at me,

Come and greet me with open arms.

My work is done,

The evening stars have risen.

The lighted ferry has disappeared,

In the vast ocean.

Is the water-pot filled,

Both sides of the wharf clean,

Did you tie your hair,

pluck  the flowers,

string the garland?

The cattle is  back from the pasture,

The birds returned  to  their nest,

All the  paths surrounding the world,

Have disappeared in  the dark.

Do not keep me waiting outside,

Open , open the door!

……………………….. 🙂

 

Daily Prompt: Forever Young

If there were a real Fountain of Youth, would you drink the water?

If there was a guarantee that the Fountain of Youth would make me younger, I’d say it would be worth trying.

There is one thing that disturbs me, if I am young forever, would it entail me going to school and start all over again?

If the answer is ‘Yes’,then I will not be interested. I have gone through all kinds of hardships to finish my education. Going through it again will not be suitable for me.

I won’t get any help from my siblings, they’ve done it once, second time would not be feasible as they have their own kids who need their help.

Besides the cost of education is higher and the salary is not proportionately higher for my siblings.

Return of youth as tempting as it sounds will not work for me!

……………………………….. 🙂

Sunday’s feature: Indian Dessert

This is the picture of “Gulab Jamun ” I took this picture after I finished making this dessert. I had invited my daughter’s co-worker, who was kind enough to take care of our felines for a week, while we were in Montreal.As you can see there are quite a few.I intended to give him the remaining after our dinner. He chose to take a few. I took some with us and froze the ones left.

Here is the recipe for my dessert.

Ingredients:

1. 2 1/2 full cream milk powder( you can use skim milk powder, which is what I used)
2. 1 cup self-raising flour(Bisquik)
3. 11/2 tespoon soda
4. 250 g cream cheese package
5. 2/3 cup milk
6. 750 gram ghee( clarified butter)
7. oil for deep frying
8. Syrup
9. 2 litres(8 cups) water
10. 4 cups sugar
11. 1 tablespoon rose water optional
12. Method: Combine milk powder,sifted flour and soda in an medium bowl, rub in cheese until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.Using hand knead mixture in bowl, gradually adding enough milk until mixture holds its own shape and is slightly sticky to touch.Moisten hands with extra milk, roll level tablespoons of mixture into 30 sausage shapes.melt ghee(or clarified butter ) with enough oil to make depth of 5cm in medium pan
13. Deep fry 8 sausage shapes at a time for about five minutes or until golden brown and cooked through, stirring occasionally , drain on absorbent paper.Prick well with tooth pick ,place into syrup, cover and refrigerate.
14. syrup: combine water and sugar in a large saucepan,stir over heat, without boiling, until sugar is dissolved, bring to boil, boil uncovered without stirring , for 10 minutes(syrup should not change color. Cool syrup slightly, if you are using rose water this is the time to add it.
15. Enjoy this dessert.
16. ……………………………………. 🙂

Daily Prompt: Wasted Days And Wasted Nights

Tell us your tried and true techniques for focusing when that deadline looms and you need to get work done.In other words, how do you avoid wasted days and wasted nights?

I like deadlines, it helps me to discipline myself. Having said that if the task is given two weeks ahead, I tend to tell myself there is plenty of time to get it done.

I put the task aside and do other things, then I get a call from my friend, “did you get the work done?” She asks.

This is the time I panic,I wonder what happened to two weeks, what did I do , how will I get my work done in two days?

Somehow magically I’m able to complete my task, really it’s not magic it’s me working all hours of the day to get it done.

This is my way of catching up to the wasted days and wasted nights!

………………………. 🙂

 

 

Friday food feature: Chicken Mughal Style and Mixed vegetable

Today’s feature is Chicken Mughal Style and mixed vegetables

When Mughals came to the Indian sub-continent they brought with them fine architecture, music and food.My recipe for chicken is named “Shahi Chicken Qorma”.

The following is the recipe for chicken.

Ingredients:1. Chicken-one medium size

2. red chillies or cayenne- 1 teaspoon

3. ground coriander-2 nteaspoons

4. Salt- to taste

5. Mixed spices or garam masala- 1 teaspoon

6. Yogurt- 2 tablespoons

7.Ghee ( clarified butter) – 6 tablespoons

8.bay leaf-two leaves

9.fresh garlic- two cloves, grind it into a paste

10. Ground fresh ginger-1 tablespoon

11.Onions-three medium size( slice thinly)

Method :

In a medium pot, heat ghee or clarified butter, add two medium onions thinly sliced, fry until the onions are lightly brown. Add garam masala, fry for thirty seconds.Add the chicken pieces, fry them for five minutes.Next add the remaining spices, garlic, ginger, coriander,bay leaf, cayenne, and salt.Add a cup of water, when it dries up add the yogurt, stir and mix it well. continue to cook until the chicken is not raw. Here in North America the chicken gets soft very quickly, so the time depends on where the chicken is bought from. In Bangladesh where I am from a chicken almost takes an hour to soften. This is not the case with the chicken here in North America. Here it takes less time, it is up to the cook to make adjustments. Feel free to add or subtract the spices according to your taste buds. 🙂

Mixed vegetable and Shahi Chicken Qorma

Mixed vegetable recipe: ingredients:

 1.Frozen mixed vegetable- 1 bag

2. curry powder- 2  teaspoons

3. cayenne- 1 teaspoon

4. salt- to taste

5. vegetable oil – 3 tablespoon

6. onion – 1 small diced.

Method: In a medium saucepan , heat the oil in medium heat, add diced onions fry until they are transparent. Add the spices and the salt ,  mix and fry for a minute. Add the bag of vegetables, mix thoroughly with the spices and onion mixture, when the vegetables are coated well turn the heat down to low medium cover and let it cook for five to ten minutes. Pour the vegetables in a serving dish. It’s ready to eat.

…………………………………… 🙂

Daily Prompt: Middle Seat

It turns out your neighbor on the plane/bus/train(or the person sitting at the next table at the coffee shop)is a very chatty tourist.Do you try to switch seats, go for a non-committal brief small talk, or make this person your new best friend?

Only recently I was traveling to Montreal with my daughter, my seat was in the middle, my daughter took the aisle seat, the occupant of the window seat hadn’t arrived yet. I was hoping it would stay vacant, squeezing herself in the aisle was the occupant, there was hardly any room for me to stand to let her in. I could only apologize and say, ” I’m Sorry, there is no room for me  to stand, can you hop on over?”

She seemed a delightful person, she replied, “yes I can.”

I thought she will say something, from the time she sat down which was two and a half hours, till the time the plane landed, she stayed quiet. Occasionally I saw her taking pictures of what she could see outside,which didn’t seem much.

I didn’t have to change my seat, I was happy I didn’t have to, the airline charges $30.00 dollars if the passengers want to change seats. I know because we had to pay that amount  they put us far away from each other,even though we bought the tickets at the same time, not separately, my daughter bought both the tickets.

……………………………… 🙂

Tagore song translated and posted by ranu

I will not call, I will not call,

I will not call this way from outside.

If I can I will let my

Heart send the message.

The pain of longing rings at the bottom of my heart,

I know not where to find the one.

Who will unite the giver and receiver?

Will our pain be similar?

Will the Ganges river

Mix  with the dark

waters of the Jumna?

Will my pain unite with the one?

A tune sounded

It  came on its  own

At the time of leaving

It promised to be back.

I will not call, I will not call

I will not call this way from outside.

If I can I will let my

Heart send the message!

……………………………….. 🙂

Daily Prompt: Take a Chance on Me

What’s the biggest chance you ever took?did it work out? Do tell!

We all take chances on a lot of things, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t, keeping this in mind, I applied for a British Council Scholarship to study in London,UK .

I was aware there were a lot of applicants for this particular scholarship. I had three years experience in teaching,which was not enough to qualify for a scholarship. I was bold young and didn’t mind the fact I could be rejected.

Someone told me there were thousands of applicants , and they screen the candidates for interview.  I thought perhaps I may not be called for an interview. I kept this a secret from my Mom and the siblings. I knew mom wouldn’t make fun of me, my siblings were different.

The principal where I was teaching called me one day and gave me the news of my interview. It seems the secretary called him and told him about it. The interview letter hadn’t come yet.

I was happy when I got the letter. I was scared about going for the interview.

On the day of the interview the secretary told me to wait outside her office. While waiting  I saw my older sister, she  was visiting the office for something. “What are you doing here was her question?”

Before I could reply, the secretary replied, “She is a candidate for the scholarship.”

My sister was surprised but left the building hurriedly.

I waited a few more minutes, then I was called in . There were seven of them sitting around a large oval table, someone told me to take a seat. As soon as I sat, the interviewers started asking questions. I cannot recall what they asked and how I answered. I was relieved when it was over.

Two weeks later the mailman brought a large thick envelope, my younger siblings were curious, I didn’t tell them anything about the scholarship.

When I opened the letter, I found a letter informing me I was selected and the tickets. I could not believe I got the scholarship!

……………………………. 🙂

Daily prompt: Only Sixteen

Tell us about the person you were when you were sixteen. If you haven’t yet hit sixteen, tell us about the person you want to be at sixteen.

When I was sixteen, I was a first year student in a local co-ed. college. I had a few friends, one of them felt sorry for me, because she knew my sister-in -law before I knew her, she didn’t think too highly of her. As time passed I became aware what my new friend told me.

I wasn’t fond of the new addition in our family, but was afraid to express my opinion for I was scared of my eldest brother who was her husband.

I remember my brother was not nice anymore he believed his wife and she took full advantage of our insecurity. At some point I believed this torture will  come to an end. I will be free to lead my life independently and my brother won’t be able to threaten me.

I carried the feeling of dislike towards both and a few years later, refused an invitation to his house for dinner. He told me he bought prawns, my favorite shell fish, and his wife would cook it for me. I told him, “You eat your prawns I’m not interested.”

My sister thought I was cruel to refuse the invitation. I didn’t think so, the way he treated me and the younger siblings left a scar too deep to forgive him.

I know if Dad was alive I’d have a wonderful time, but too bad he wasn’t and I had a tough time at that young age.

Even though I stayed quiet, the love and respect I had for my brother vanished forever. My home circumstances taught me to mistrust everyone when I was sixteen. I know it’s a terrible thing , I cannot write an amazing story when I was sixteen, it would be a lie if I did.

………………………………. 🙂