How to make good use of your over cooked rice

One fine day all of a sudden, my pressure cooked rice became too gooey to be eaten. Since it was a new brand of rice, I had unknowingly messed up with the water proportion. It was Saturday noon and just the two of us. Too hungry after the morning chores, both of us drank the over cooked-almost-liquid rice concoction with sambar.

Obviously we did not take the second helpings of the rice. But me being me, I could not see the rice going down the drain. I decided to do something with it.

I am not sure if there is some name to this recipe. This is more like an experiment which became a success.

Ingredients

2 cups of the liquid rice

1 medium size block of jaggery

4 cups of milk

2 spoons of ghee

A pinch of cardamom

A handful of cashews

Method

• Take a wide pan and boil milk in it.
• While the milk is getting boiled, heat jaggery in another vessel. Once it gets completely melted, strain it for impurities. You should be left with a clear liquid jaggery.
• Once milk is boiled, add the rice and keep stirring for about 5 minutes on low flame.
• Add the jaggery and keep stirring for 5 minutes.
• Add a pinch of cardamom and take it off the stove.
• Adjust the sweet level here, if you want to be sweeter, add more jaggery.
• Like we do the daal tadka, do a tadka of ghee with some cashews.

And what do you see?

A kheer like stuff waiting to be polished off.

Feel good about yourself that you did not waste the rice and dive in immediately.

P.S I think this can work with left over rice too 🙂 Do let me know if you try it.

On the mind now

If you are one of the souls who think 2012 is moving too fast for your comfort, please join me.  The first half of this year was a blur, the second half is going on a breakneck speed. Particularly the last couple of months. I am one of the nut cases who feels happy seeing Monday’s. Aha, 5 days to this week. Come Wednesday, I already get the weekend feeling. I do not know why. Before I begin to crack this mystery, Friday night says hello to me. And the weekend whizzes by. Again full circle – Hello Monday.

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September was a very trying month for the family. The start of the month saw one of Zack’s uncle fighting for his life after a massive heart attack. The guys in the family used to make 350km round trips thrice in a week just to provide emotional support, while the ladies used to be huddled up in a corner of the hospital praying to various deities and gods. We eventually lost him after 8 days. Leaves in the office became difficult for us to attend the rituals after the funeral.

What I found difficult to understand, was the lack of planning on the part of the uncle who was admitted. He had not taken a single medical policy, not even a basic LIC. Nothing in the bank to be labelled as savings. All the money he and his wife earned were in the form of assets, either in the form of properties bought or jewellery. Agreed, that the jewellery could be pawned off in dire situations like this, but it makes some sense to have some hard cash in the bank in case of medical situations, when time is short. The jewellery was kept in a bank locker, which was shut for the weekend. Timely help from a financier friend saved the day. There have been endless discussions between the two of us in this regard – me citing this example to stress the importance of savings against a what-I-earn-I-should-invest-it-off-instead-of-letting-the-money-sit-in-the-bank partner 🙄

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While September ended on a sad note, October had a big event coming up – a happy one. The naming ceremony of a 8 month old baby. Nothing infuses energy and enthusiasm like a function in the family. The death was not forgotten, instead, how the event would have turned out if that uncle was here was discussed. Equal parts of sadness and joy. Thankfully, as the event dawned, the scale was much, much higher on the latter part. Three weeks flew into the preparations, so much so, that one of us joked if it is a wedding or a naming ceremony.

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In the midst of all these, I had some medical issues which had me stressed out like hell. No amount of reading, cooking or watching idiotic TV soaps calmed my frayed nerves. I bugged the BFF till no end, day after day. God bless her to tolerate an eccentric nutcase like me. I heaved a sigh of relief only after seeing the reports post a doctor visit. On medication now, hope every thing gets sorted out.

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This weekend we started the Diwali shopping. Whoever said it is easy to shop for guys must have one trip to the apparel store with Zack. He wears only one brand and we have got all the shades and patterns already. After much scrutinization, thankfully we zeroed in on two formal sets and one casual. Festival times brings out the best in shopping areas of the city. But it also adds parking woes, which is on the exponential growth for every festival next in line.

We ended the weekend by spring cleaning the home, almost robbed our wardrobe of clothes. There are too many old clothes which we are never going to wear, so it was decided that the whole bundle will be distributed amongst the maid’s children’s in our locality. This Thursday we are having a holiday in the office.

It’s technically Monday as I publish this. Another week.

Hello Monday 🙂

P.S In case you have missed, please hop to effervescent Toffee’s to read my write-up. I can’t thank her enough for allowing me to hijack her space

Zack becomes a sanyasi (almost)

After a very hectic day yesterday –

 

Z: I so wish to leave everything and go somewhere

V: Uh-huh, leave everything?

Z: Yes, leave the job, family, yes you too.

V: And become a sanyasi?

Z: Totally. I will be at peace. No crazy work hours. Simply eat, sleep, pray.

V: Good idea, but will not work out.

Z: Haha, you think I will chicken out at the end if I decide for sure?

V: Nope, you mentioned the issue yourself.

Z: Oh, whats that?

V: Honey, you can never ever leave your chicken.

 

Dumbstruck Zack + Rolling on the floor Visha = A happy moment to savour.