This EID , it's Khubani Ka Phirni

Consider yourself lucky if you have someone at home who loves to cook. Since I cannot claim to be “in love” with the kitchen as much, I consider myself really blessed to have an “other half” who is actually a “betterinkitchen half”! This EID he came up with Khubani Ka Phirni. 

It tasted really awesome. Here goes the recipe for those who loves experimenting in their kitchens.

Ingredients

Half litre Milk
One fistful of Basmati or any fragrant Rice
Sugar as per your taste. ( We used Sugar Free)
8-10 Dried Apricots aka Khubani
Some Almonds
Some Pistachios

How to prepare

Wash the Rice and soak for 30minutes in warm Water. Drain and grind coarsely. You can add very little water too.
Wash and soak the Dried Apricots for 10 minutes in half cup warm Water. Simmer these in the Water till cooked on low flame. When it is cool, make a puree and set aside.
Soak the Almonds and Pistachios in warm water.

Method

Heat the Milk till it boils. Lower the flame and add the coarsely ground Rice. Cook for 5-7 minutes, keep stirring constantly. Add Sugar and cook for 3-4 minutes more. Remove from fire and let it cool completely. Stir in the Apricot Puree and mix well.

Garnish with Almonds and Pistachios / Nutmeg.

The Phone and I

Tring  - Tring , the phone rang...I woke up with a startle. Blinking for few seconds I tried to realise what was going on. First I thought I was hallucinating. After all I was forced to open my eyes right in the middle of my afternoon siesta. Not just any siesta but my hard earned Sunday afternoon siesta ; a luxury for us office going people.

Irritated I picked it up and spat " Yeah".
From the other end a female voice asked " Mangal hai kya?" ( Is Mangal there?)
"Who Mangal? Wrong number." I disconnected.

Tring - Tring , the phone rang again after 15 - 20 minutes. 

"Hello" I didnt even bother opening my eyes.
" Mira road se bol rahe hai na." ( You are speaking from Mira Road, right?) the same voice.
" Ji nahin Aunty, main Mira Road se nahin, apni muh se bol rahi hoon. Aap please number check kijiye dial karne se pehle." ( No Aunty, I am speaking from my mouth not Mira Road. Please check the number before dialing.)
 Few moments of stunned silence before the call was disconnected.

And I went back to my sleep before the Sunday afternoon turned to evening and night and then the " Khooni Monday morning".

This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda

And thus we met..:)

This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda

Friendship isn't about whom you have known the longest... It's about who came, and never left your side..

It was one of those regular days at work. One “passenger” walked in and sat in the chair infront. He wanted to know about the airfare to Mumbai after one week or so. As I checked all the options and dates, we started chatting casually. He said he was from the same town that I grew up in; Dibrugarh. We found out that we were actually batch mates! He was in Don Bosco and I was in Govt. Girls School. I gave him all the fares on all the dates he was asking for. He said he would take a call by evening and let me know. He came the next day to get his ticket. We talked some more and found out that we infact went to same teachers for tuitions; had some common friends too. How come we never met! It was a Saturday and half day at work; so we decided to meet for a cup of coffee after work. That meeting proved that “ a lot can happen over a cup of coffee” and we became friends. Those were the days of yahoo messenger and we added each other and started chatting and talking in emails. Talkative I was and talked about everything under the sun. He mostly listened and then slowly opened up. We became best friends and confidants. As they say nothing like getting a friend as your life partner. So we decided to take this friendship to a different level and took the plunge 2 years back. We still are the friends we started off as and hope continue be. Amen.

A House by the side of the road

The owner Mr. Walton says that he was inspired by the lines of a poem by Sam Walter Foss “Let me live in a house by the side of the road and be a friend to man.” Friend he is. From the first call enquiring about availability to the last day of checking out, enjoyed every bit of it. At the time of check in Mr. Walton hands over a map and some pages with information in and around Fort Kochi which is of great help.

The striking aroma of lemon oil greets when you open the door of the room. That’s to keep the mosquitoes at bay we were told. They have 9 rooms, all with AC and attached bath. Most of the rooms open to a small well kept garden. It’s the chirping of birds that wake you up in the morning. Mr. Walton’s office is full of books which one can borrow or buy.

Wonderful location, the famous Chinese fishing nets, the cafes, the shops all just around the corner from this place.

One glitch ::The kitchen was not functional as it was “off season” and we missed the home cooked breakfast in a homestay!

The room we stayed.

Details of Walton’s Homestay  :

Address : 1/39. Walton’s Hall. Princess Street. Fort Kochi – 682001.Kerala.

Email : cewalton@rediffmail.com

Blabberings

"Traveling, it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller" - Ibn Batuta 

Those stories I want to tell..Just cant find the right words. I feel so helpless, inadequate ! lazy I am. Those stories of Bundi, Srinagar, Ranthambhore. Waiting to be told. I just cant seem to put them into words.