TUS, The Uniform Shop

While doing reviews, I got reminded of the worst shop I had the misfortune of visiting in Colombo. The Uniform Shop or TUS as they like to call themselves. Situated on Galle Road, just opposite Barefoot, this shop has a monopoly over uniform supply in a lot of the schools in Colombo. In fact they are the sole supplier of uniforms in the school my daughter attends.

On the day I visited recently, I took along some current samples of Daughter's uniforms as I can never remember the size when I would go to buy it from the school (the school stocks limited uniform supplies). In fact, it was only because the school did not have any stock at the beginning of the academic year that I had to visit the shop. I was accosted at the door way by the guard and told that I had to leave the plastic bag with the uniforms at the door in his care. Ofcourse, I was a possible thief, but not this dude. There was no possibility that he'd help himself to some of my things when I left it with him. I explained that I had brought samples to compare sizes. That is when dragon lady, who seemed to be one of the managers told me coolly that in this shop this was the rule, and I had to abide by it. Bags had to be left at the door. If I wanted to I could bring the samples in. Dumbfounded I said, "you want me to leave this empty plastic bag at the door!?" To which she again rattled off her silly rule.

I complied only because I needed the uniforms. Needless to say, the rest of the experience was just as acrid. I wanted one skirt to be tailor made as the ready made sizes did not fit Daughter properly. The tailor refused to make most of the adjustments I wanted. What's the point of having something custom made! They also didn't have most sizes available so I couldn't buy the t-shirts I wanted.

I hope they continue to behave incredibly ridiculously and rudely with their customers so that eventually there are enough complaints to put them out of business.

Restaurant Review: Regina Margarita

Regina Margarita, from outer appearances doesn't scream out Come Eat Here! It's only because I had read rather good reviews about it that we decided to venture all the way to Park Road to try out the place.

Well, the tables were all covered in checkered tablecloths in typical Italian style. The size of the tables turned out to be a bit of a problem later though as the waiters struggled to fit the dishes we ordered on the table. The menu took us by surprise. We were a bit taken aback by the prices. Practically nothing below Rs 900.

The complimentary bread at the beginning was just ordinary. So was the chilli oil on the table. We were expecting plain olive oil and butter.

Among the things we ordered was a pizza marinara without any cheese. The pizza was good, made right in front of our eyes, which was interesting to watch. We also ordered a fettucine with chicken mince and a spaghetti with tomato sauce and basil. Both were rather mediocre, the pasta seemed a bit overdone and didn't blow anyone away.

There was a lady walking around talking to the customers who we assumed was the proprietor. The personal touch was nice, though I was glad we had ordered before she came, as I don't like anyone giving me opinions on my order unless I ask for it.

We could hear someone on another table whispering about the cook having changed. Maybe this was the reason we failed to be impressed despite the wonderful review we had read. Though we may go back to grab some take away pizza.

Tandoor

Restaurant Review: Tandoor

We tried out a North Indian restaurant called Tandoor, situated in the Ceylon Continental Hotel. While the decor is nothing impressive, the food was good.To start with there was complimentary Papad with chutneys. My favourite was the tamarind chutney. We tried the alu gobi, the butter nan, paratha and methi chicken, all of which were good. None of the dishes were too spicy, which is great if you have a small child. The food is served in copper ware which I always like. And the prices were very reasonable. I can totally see myself visiting again!

Crown

I recently had the privilege of trying out the reflexology at Crown Hair and Beauty. Simply stated, best 1500Rs I had spent in a long time. Their ambience is great. Understated and classy. Their people are really well behaved and skilled.

I also tried the shampoo and blow dry/ironing which is also really well done, though the first time I had it done was better than the second time. They will even throw in an extra back rub after the shampoo. Mmmmm!

Their prices are comparable to all other salons and they still offer superior service in my opinion. Just make sure you go with an appointment as they can be quite busy!

Restaurants in Colombo 2: The Dining Room

The Dining Room

Located in the lobby of Cinnamon Lakeside, The Dining Room offers the best lunch buffet in town in my opinion and also the best value for money. The ambience is extremely family friendly and kids under 5 dine for free. The sea food is to die for, there's sea food ceviche, sushi, and shrimps galore! Lots of cold meats, Indian, Thai and continental food on offer. The choice of desserts will have your head spinning, and you will have a hard time lifting yourself up from your chair when it's time to leave! During Ramadan, they also had iftar buffets which were amazing.

Babysitting Parents

So the Rents are here! They've been here 2 weeks already. It's kind of sad that they're so worn out and need a lot of help with everything. Today I sent them to a shop I took them to earlier for the first time by themselves and yes, I'm a little worried.

Ofcourse my Mom is being fabulous with Daughter who adores her. Luckily I told Mom that I wanted her to teach her our mother tongue so she's been busy trying to teach her to read, and they've been making great progress.

Dad needs the most babysitting of all. He went for a walk by himself along Galle Road, and despite all his claims of being able to manage lost his way and phoned H.

We went to Victoria Golf and Country Resort last week which was just fabulous though there were a few bugs here and there. Throughout the trip, however they kept comparing everything to other places which I could not understand. Plus they are not really that into nature. Luckily H and I did thouroughly enjoy the place.

Kandy and Nuwara Eliya

We travelled recently to these two places. Daughter had a cough and H was dithering about whether to go, but I insisted. Anyway, we had a relaxed visit, well as much as possible with a coughing child and husband who worries at every cough. Nuwara Eliya was gorgeous. Made me think of Switzerland. And Kandy was interesting too with nice views of the misty hills. Made me think of Budapest.

Semolina (Suji) Halwa

I had been searching high and low for semolina here. After arriving at the conclusion that Sri Lankans don't have it, recently someone told me it is in fact available. So I asked someone in Keels Super (at Staples) whether they had it and sure enough they found it for me in the baking section (who would have thought?) Anyway, so finally I made this halwa, which is good to have with Paratha / luchi or just toasted bread if you don't have either of those two, on the odd weekend when you want to be reminded of home. The way I make this halwa, it is semi solid in consistency. Some people prefer the harder, springy variety which they shape into barfi (diamond) shapes, but this is how me and H prefer it.

SUJI HALWA (SEMOLINA PUDDING)

INGREDIENTS
1 cup suji (semolina)
¾ cup sugar
1.5 cup whole milk
1.5 cup water
3 tablespoon ghee, butter or margarine or substitute some of the ghee for oil if you prefer a healthier option
1/ teaspoon cardamom
2 tablespoon raisin
Garnish
2 tablespoon raisin
2 tablespoon almonds

METHOD
Heat ghee, butter or margarine in a pan.
Add Cardamom and heat few seconds in medium heat.
Add Semolina and heat for few minutes with constant stirring in medium heat.
Add sugar and half of both raisin, and Almond. Heat few more minutes.
Add water and milk. Mix well and heat until you get desired consistency. (Usually like watery dough or thick pudding)
Garnish with remaining raisin and almonds.
Serve either hot or cold.

Destressing with Nigella, Kylie and Jamie

My favourite way of destressing is to watch cookery shows. I just find them immensely soothing. Don't get me wrong, I don't run off and make every single dish. I just lie back, relax and enjoy the show.

I think I get this from my mother who also loves them. In the old days when we had a VCR, my mother would video tape them. And before that when cookery shows were not really around she'd cut out recipes from magazines and make a scrap book. I don't have a scrap book. Initially I used to save my recipes in a word file which, much to my chagrin, has got corrrupted. So now, I will eventually upload all my favourite recipes to this very blog.

Back to the cookery shows. Well, my very favourite was Jamie Oliver. And in particular the Naked Chef series. Jamie was young, happy and so different from the run of the mill TV chef. His later shows where he's more serious or the ones where he has a live audience I'm not so fond of.

Then there's Nigella. Again I liked the original shows much better, but this time I prefer the more serious Nigella who doesn't keep smiling coquettishly at the camera every 5 minutes. Still, recipe wise I think I find Nigella uses easier to find ingredients.

Kylie Kwong I like mainly because of her accent and the novelty of her travelling around all the Chinese province. I don't find a lot of the recipes very appetising though, as she features recipes with ingredients I'd never in my life ever want to eat. Chicken feet anyone?

There's another Australian cook I like: Bill. Really calm collected, and I like his recipes. Not heard of him? Find out more at http://www.lifestylefood.com.au/shows/bills-food/

From the Americans I like only Giada I think. I find Americans don't do great cookery shows.

And then there are food blogs ofcourse and food podcasts.

I listen to one podcast called "Cooking with the Moms" which is done by 2 nutritionists which I find very informative. You can find the podcasts here http://mealmakeovermoms.com/podcast/

They also do a food blog.

And out of food blogs I like http://www.bongcookbook.com/ which is written by a Bengali lady living in the US.

Unfortunately, over here with the channels I receive I only get to watch Nigella and Kylie. But it's better than nothing.

So that's my secret to destressing. What's yours?

Invictus

I am happy with the fact that I left the scope of this blog so wide. I can write about anything I fancy. The fact that I don't have a wide readership does not bother me. Maybe one day my daughter will read it and just learn a bit more about her mom's likes and dislikes.

So anyway, the new thing I will write about today: movies. I realise taste in movies is very subjective. I do not in any way guarantee that you will share my thoughts on these movies. Anyway, a movie I enjoyed recently: Invictus. It basically depicts the first few months of Nelson Mandela's taking office after winning the elections. How he united a divided country through Rugby. I am not a sports fan, generally hate sports based movies and don't understand the first thing about rugby. Here lies the genius of Clint Eastwood. It's not just about the game. It's more about how great a man Mandela is. I was awed by how he brought to light Mandela's humility and kindness to all he met. And it made all the petty jealousies, slights and silliness that one comes across in every day life seem just that, petty. Here was a man who could be nice to people who imprisoned him for decades.

Aside from that , the rugby part is interestingly shot too. The sound effects are great. Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon have done a good job. Watch this movie and tell me what you thought.

Furniture Finds

Colombo is a place for beautiful objets d'art, much to my surprise. The things you can find here are, in my opinion, equal to or surpass in beauty that found in Zara Home or other lifestyle and home decor shops.

Apart from Paradise Road and Barefoot which are the most written about I think everyone should visit the Roux Brothers and Gandhara and just prepare to swept off their feet. The finds here are simply breathtaking. I can't wait to buy something pretty from these places. The Roux Brothers have the antique touch to their furniture pieces and Gandhara has lots of things from all over the world, including lots of Chinese treasure chests, and wardrobes.

For anyone wanting to visit:

Gandhara :
28, Stratford Avenue, Colombo 6Shop no:8 Shopping Piazza, Galle Face hotel

Roux Brothers:
Outlet: 7 De Fonseka Rd, Colombo 5
Dutch period antique furniture and reproductions in solid timber, lamps and upholstery material

Park Street Mews

I'm sitting in Park Street Mews writing this review. This is my second visit here. Obviously they have wifi here, and it's free! That's one plus point. I like the decor a lot. It's a spacious joint, high ceilings. Family friendly environment. We came here for coffee. Had a Cafe Moccha. Pretty good. On my earlier visit which was for lunch, I had a South Indian fish curry with rice which was very good. Dessert however was a bit of a disappointment: Rhubarb Crumble. It was just too sour for words.
Anyway H is getting restless. He doesn't like the fact that there's no AC here. I find it perfectly alright however as the high ceilings keep the place cool. Daughter likes it because of the bean bags. Time to sign off!

Popular misconceptions about foods that are actually good for you

I recently ran into a person who I offered peanut butter to for a snack (on bread), who refused to eat it saying it was fattening.

I knew vaguely that peanuts are in fact now thought to be good for you (unless ofcourse you have an allergy to it).

So today I went to my favourite food information web site, world's healthiest foods, www.whfoods.org which basically listed all the benefits of different foods. I quote from the site:

"Your Heart Will Go Nuts for Peanuts

Peanuts are a very good source of monounsaturated fats, the type of fat that is emphasized in the heart-healthy Mediterranean diet. Studies of diets with a special emphasis on peanuts have shown that this little legume is a big ally for a healthy heart. In one such randomized, double-blind, cross-over study involving 22 subjects, a high monounsaturated diet that emphasized peanuts and peanut butter decreased cardiovascular disease risk by an estimated 21% compared to the average American diet.

In addition to their monounsaturated fat content, peanuts feature an array of other nutrients that, in numerous studies, have been shown to promote heart health. Peanuts are good sources of vitamin E, niacin, folate, protein and manganese. In addition, peanuts provide resveratrol, the phenolic antioxidant also found in red grapes and red wine that is thought to be responsible for the French paradox: the fact that in France, people consume a diet that is not low in fat, but have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease compared to the U.S. With all of the important nutrients provided by nuts like peanuts, it is no wonder that numerous research studies, including the Nurses' Health Study that involved over 86,000 women, have found that frequent nut consumption is related to reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.

Peanuts Rival Fruit as a Source of Antioxidants

Not only do peanuts contain oleic acid, the healthful fat found in olive oil, but new research shows these tasty legumes are also as rich in antioxidants as many fruits.

While unable to boast an antioxidant content that can compare with the fruits highest in antioxidants, such as pomegranate, roasted peanuts do rival the antioxidant content of blackberries and strawberries, and are far richer in antioxidants than apples, carrots or beets. Research conducted by a team of University of Florida scientists, published in the journal Food Chemistry, shows that peanuts contain high concentrations of antioxidant polyphenols, primarily a compound called p-coumaric acid, and that roasting can increase peanuts' p-coumaric acid levels, boosting their overall antioxidant content by as much as 22%.

Peanuts' Antioxidants Key to their Heart-Health Benefits

Research published in the British Journal of Nutrition (Blomhoff R, Carlsen MH), which identified several nuts among plant foods with the highest total antioxidant content, suggests nut's high antioxidant content may be key to their cardio-protective benefits.

Nuts' high antioxidant content helps explain results seen in the Iowa Women's Health Study in which risk of death from cardiovascular and coronary heart diseases showed strong and consistent reductions with increasing nut/peanut butter consumption. Total death rates decreased 11% and 19% for nut/peanut butter intake once per week and 1-4 times per week, respectively.

Even more impressive were the results of a review study of the evidence linking nuts and lower risk of coronary heart disease, also published in the British Journal of Nutrition. (Kelly JH, Sabate J.) In this study, researchers looked at four large prospective epidemiological studies-the Adventist Health Study, Iowa Women's Study, Nurses' Health Study and the Physician's Health Study. When evidence from all four studies was combined, subjects consuming nuts at least 4 times a week showed a 37% reduced risk of coronary heart disease compared to those who never or seldom ate nuts. Each additional serving of nuts per week was associated with an average 8.3% reduced risk of coronary heart disease.

Practical Tip: To lower your risk of cardiovascular and coronary heart disease, enjoy a handful of peanuts or other nuts, or a tablespoon of nut butter, at least 4 times a week.

Potentially Reduced Risk of Stroke Based on Preliminary Animal Studies

Resveratrol is a flavonoid first studied in red grapes and red wine, but now also found to be present in peanuts. In animal studies on resveratrol itself (the purified nutrient given in intravenous form, not the food form), this phytonutrient has been determined to improve blood flow in the brain by as much as 30%, thus greatly reducing the risk of stroke, according to the results of a laboratory animal study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

Lead researcher Kwok Tung Lu hypothesized that resveratrol exerted this very beneficial effect by stimulating the production and/or release of nitric oxide (NO), a molecule made in the lining of blood vessels (the endothelium) that signals the surrounding muscle to relax, dilating the blood vessel and increasing blood flow. In the animals that received resveratrol, the concentration of nitric oxide (NO) in the affected part of the brain was 25% higher than that seen not only in the ischemia-only group, but even in the control animals.

The jury is still out on peanuts however, since they contain far less resveratrol than the amounts used in the above study, and also less than the amount provided by red wine. An ounce of red wine can provide as much as 1,000 micrograms of resveratrol, and it almost always provides over 75 micrograms. The same ounce of peanut butter can only provide about 50 micrograms of resveratrol. Still, routine consumption of peanuts or peanut butter might turn out to be significant in terms of the resveratrol provided by this food. "

So now, I've decided peanuts are going to be my favourite movie time snack. I also found out another interesting fact from the same article that pickled foods increase risk of certain cancers. You learn something new everyday! You can find the whole article and loads of other helpful info at this site http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=101

Ode to my Daughter

Today H and I got a delayed 5th birthday present for Daughter. Her very first library membership! Anyone who loves books, and Daughter does, knows this is the best gift ever. Daughter's a relatively early reader. As she doesn't watch TV (photosensitive), I helped and encouraged her to read as early as possible.

I sometimes check blogs of 2 moms who had kids at the same time as me. I did today, and this blog really brought a lump to my throat. It's by Joyce Slaton and her daughter who also turned 5 recently has had many, many of the same "symptoms" I struggled with in the past my daughter. Luckily for Joyce, she got an OT to help her, whereas, we just had to find our own solutions with the help of the wonderful world of books and the world wide web ofcourse.

http://blogs.babycenter.com/momformation/2010/04/19/very-violet-letter-to-a-five-year-old/

Thanks Joyce for sharing! Sharing problems and triumphs over the web, oh what a solace and source of strength it has been for me.

Reproducing the wording of the blog here:

Very Violet: Letter to a five-year-old

Posted by Joyce Slaton in Very Violet | April 19th, 2010 | Trackback

My dear Violet:

Today you turned five. I usually stay up crying the night before your birthday; at least, I’ve done that every year. But not this year. Every year before I felt panicked. “I’m losing my baby.” Well, that ship has sailed. My baby is well and truly gone; but in her place she left a really fun little kid. I no longer feel like I’m losing something; instead, I feel like I’m drifting into a new world where you and I can be pals.

This is the year I saw you catch up physically with your peers. There was a time when you were so delayed I despaired of ever seeing you playing with a group of kids. It seemed like every kid on the playground was running and climbing and swinging and laughing while you were stuck in place, screaming. Every week I’ve taken you to your occupational therapy; each Tuesday a semi-nightmare of driving across town and parking and squishing my work into pre- and post-OT sessions, watching from the hallway as you climbed ladders and finished mazes and learned how to pop bubbles as you were swinging side to side. And it has worked. Your therapist came out to me with her chart and her list of developmental milestones, and showed me: you’re ready to graduate. Three more weeks and the last 18 months of Tough Tuesdays will be just a memory.

Now you can ride a bike with training wheels. I don’t have to sit on a bench and bite my knuckles while you try to get your legs in synch and kids much, much younger than you ride by gaily. You are riding right along with them. You can climb to the top of the dome, you can spin on the tire swing. A kid comes up to you on the playground and asks you to play and you can, you do; my fingers tingle with joy watching you.

This is the year your clothing sensitivities fell away, too. No longer are you traipsing around in sundresses and Crocs in the middle of winter. When it is cold, you wear jackets! And pants! And actual shoes without holes in them. Of course, several months ago you started wearing said shoes unfastened, and you still won’t fasten them up and thus sometimes when you run they fall off, and you cry. But to not be stopping every few feet to dig little rocks out of the Croc holes, ah, that is heaven. And people don’t give us dirty looks on the street anymore because you’re not dressed for the weather. I no longer clench up in terror when I pull a new dress over your head, wondering if you’ll like it and dance off merrily, or if it will send you into a 45-minute spiral of rage. Those days are over now. I do not miss them.

This is the year you made real friends. The friend you like the very best, unfortunately, is a little boy who’s lovely to you when you’re alone, but is kinda mean to you at school when this other little boy is around. (Your first enemy! Another milestone!) We have had lots of discussions this year about friends and how they should treat you. You have resolutely stuck to your guns and decided to love this little boy above all others. You’re loyal, at least. If not sensible.

This is the year you put your face in the water at the pool: Twice. Thank God for small miracles. I still haven’t gotten you in swim lessons yet, but it’s coming, it’s coming.

This is the year you finally let me do your hair! Though I have a huge collection of hair ornaments, barrettes and ribbons and bits of colored hair that pin in, and tiny red flowers on clips, and big orange poppies that tie onto your ponytail, you have resolutely refused your entire life to accept them in your hair. But one glorious day, you let me put your hair in two wee darling little braids! And you went off to school that day! And I was so excited that I took a million pictures! Then two days later you cut off three big hunks of hair, and now your hair’s short again. And you won’t let me put in any barrettes. Sigh.

This is the year you learned how to dial the phone (your first phone call: Granddaddy), how to put on your own story CDs, how to make your own peanut butter and jelly sandwich. This is the year I started being able to pull up to the library, give you the bag of books, and let you go put them in the return slot. Or giving you the quarters and trusting you to stick them in the meter. In fact, this is the year we entered the brave new world of me not having to eyeball you every second. If you get out of sight in public, I no longer panic. If something is wrong, you will call to me. This is the year I learned to trust that.

This is the year you got interested in the kitchen. Equipped with the kid-size choppers and cutting board I bought you, you cut crinkle potatoes or big hunks of cucumber for dinner. Unfortunately, though you will wash, peel, cut, cook, and admire said vegetables, you will not eat them. You can, however, pour your own milk, make yourself toast, and measure out flour and sugar for recipes.

This is the year you learned how to whistle, how to write your own name, how to buckle your own booster seat. Oh yeah — this is the year you started riding in a booster seat. Can I tell you how awesome it is to just have this tiny, light, easy-to-carry-and-buckle thing to deal with rather than the bolted-in 50-pound monstrosity we formerly used? My wrists thank you for growing, Violet.

But best of all, this is the year it started being possible to reason with you. Just now as I’m writing this you came up to me and said, “I’m hungry.”

“There’s no milk, I’ll make you some toast.”

“But I want to eat in here and watch Zoboomafoo!”

“Two choices: smoothie in here, or toast in the kitchen. You pick.”

“But I don’t want a smoothie! And I want to watch TV!”

“Toast makes too many crumbs. You want toast, you eat in the kitchen. I’m not going to argue about this.”

“Mom? Will you please make me a smoothie?”

Not a fight, not a scream, not a holdout, not a time-out. This is the year when you started seeing my point. And the year when I started explaining things to you, one friend to another. I have good reasons for the stuff I ask you to do, or the stuff I won’t do for you. I am willing to explain my reasons, and I’m willing to hear your input. Then together we can decide the best direction to go in. Because this is the year we started feeling like a snug little unit. Not the mom-with-baby-appendage, not the mom-lashed-to-screaming-toddler, not the little-kid-running-while-mom-runs-after. But like two friends, two friends who walk together because they like being together.

Because this is the year I started feeling really happy and comfortable as your mom. You have twined your way into every part of my heart; there’s no part of my life that isn’t touched by you and changed by you, no part of me that’s not also a part of you. Ever since you came out of me I’ve felt you moving further and further away, felt us getting more distant from the time when we were one. But lately I’ve felt you moving back.

We are the two who are one, the koala bears holding on for dear life, the old people walking in the park holding hands, the best skaters in the middle of the rink, twirling while everyone smiles at us. If you cut me open and dissected me, you would find you’re in every cell of my body, and most particularly in the very center of my heart. My love for you is fierce and red with teeth, it’s soft and pink and pillowy like a morning snuggling in bed. You have changed me. I am yours.

Giada's Lasagna Rolls

I love cookery shows. 3 of my favourite TV cooks are Jamie Oliver, Nigella and Giada. Pictured here is my version of Giada's Lasagna Rolls which I tweaked to suit what was available in my larder/fridge. H and Daughter loved it and so did I. Writing this post reminds me I should SO try this again!

Anyway, following is my tweaked recipe:

Ingredients

Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Lasagna:

• 1 (15-ounce) cream cheese like philadelphia
• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated cheese
• 3 ounces of chicken chopped,or thinly sliced mushrooms if you prefer vegetarian,
• 1 large egg, beaten to blend
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more for salting water
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 to 2 tablespoons oil
• 12 uncooked lasagna noodles
• 2 cups pasta sauce
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella (about 4 ounces)

Directions

To make the sauce: Melt the butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk for 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk. Increase the heat to medium-high. Whisk the sauce until it comes to a simmer and is thick and smooth, about 3 minutes. Whisk the salt, pepper, into the bechamel sauce.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Whisk the cream cheese, spinach, 1 cup cheese, chicken/mushroom, egg, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl to blend.

Add a tablespoon or 2 of oil to a large pot of boiling salted water. Boil the noodles until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain. Arrange the noodles in a single layer on a baking sheet to prevent them from sticking.

Butter a 13-by-9-by-2-inch glass baking dish. Pour the bechamel sauce over the bottom of the prepared dish. Lay out 4 lasagna noodles on a work surface, then spread about 3 tablespoons of ricotta mixture evenly over each noodle. Starting at 1 end, roll each noodle like a jelly roll. Lay the lasagna rolls seam side down, without touching, atop the bechamel sauce in the dish. Repeat with the remaining noodles and ricotta mixture. Spoon 1 cup of pasta sauce over the lasagna rolls. Sprinkle the mozzarella and remaining 2 tablespoons of cheese over the lasagna rolls. Cover tightly with foil. Bake until heated through and the sauce bubbles, about 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until the cheese on top becomes golden, about 15 minutes longer. Let stand for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the remaining pasta sauce in a heavy small saucepan over medium heat until hot, and serve alongside.

The original version which is more authentic Italian (eg. they use ricotta, parmesan and prosciotto which I substituted with easier to find ingredients can be found here : http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/lasagna-rolls-recipe/index.html

So, what's your favourite celebrity inspired recipe?

People Changing

Everyone changes. Some people gradually and some suddenly and drastically.

Yesterday I came across an acquaintance who has suddenly taken on the hijab. When I say I came across, I mean I saw their picture in facebook and the comments they wrote under their picture. Someone had asked her why she wasn't wearing a sari to the wedding she was pictured in (it is common for married women to wear the sari at weddings in our country). This person was dressed with head covering and a loose fitting long sleeved salwar kameez. She replied, I want to be a better human being. That really got me. What does that mean? Being a better human being is as simple as putting a piece of cloth on your hair? Why is being good looked at in such a physical manner? Is it not more important to be good within, in your actions? Why don't we try to be austere in how we live too? This person works in several educational institutions (breaking the rules of the one where she is a full time faculty) because as she had once explained to me "money is always good to have".

And secondly if one does not want to attract attention to oneself and be a less vain person, why wear heels, make up and contact lenses as this person did? Why is it just down to covering one's hair?

Can someone kindly explain how by simply covering one's hair and choosing not to wear a sari (which can also be worn in a conservative manner) one can claim to be a better human being?

That being said, I need to clarify that if someone wants to do something for the sake of following some doctrine, that is their prerogative. I only question their judgement when they think something superficial helps make them a better human being! If this person had said that I am covering my hair because my religion demands that I do it, I would not have made any bones about it.

Vegetarian Shashlik Kebab

I once cooked a full vegetarian meal for some people who did not eat eggs or fish. Took me a while to figure out the menu!

Anyway, this was the main meat replacement number that I did and it turned out pretty good.

Vegetarian Shashlik Kebab

Ingredients:

Mushrooms

Paneer

Capsicum

Tomato

Onion

Any ready made kebab masala (I use the Shaan brand)

Lime

Oil.

Method:

Cut all ingredients into bite size pieces. Squirt with lime and sprinkle with the masala. Fry (but not deep fry) in a pan till mushrooms and paneer are slightly scorched on the outside. but not down right burnt. Fry the rest of the veggies separately. Let cool and arrange in skewers. Enjoy!

Birthday Bash

Daughter turned 5 recently. Had never planned a birthday for her all by myself (since used to live with inlaws before who pretty much decided how it went). So even though I am not a party person, decided to take up the challenge. In the end, decided that there just had to be 2 events. One where Daughter would be able to have fun, and the second where we returned the dinner invitations that we had till now received. The first event would be for her school pals and the second for families we had come to know.

So the first one took the most amount of planning. Decided to have a princess tea party theme. Decorated the place with balloons and streamers which took a lot of time. Had a throne where all the kids posed (well at least the ones who made it on time). Had some games planned. Was a bit confused about how to give the gifts to the winners of the games. What if the others burst out crying, heaven forbid? Had snacks which we labelled with fun names from cartoons and fairy tale characters. At the end of the indoor party we took the kids to the huge play ground we are blessed with where they basically ran riot for a while until their parents took them home.

Above is pictured one of the tea party items. Which was super easy to put together by the way. Just mixed 1 part yoghurt with 2 parts whipped cream and icing sugar to taste. Decorated with strawberries and jelly. Make sure you have bowls to serve this in.

The second party we got catered. From a place called Raffles which I heartily recommend. Excellent food and service. I did make an egg curry with coconut milk to add to the buffet which was Indian. The gulab jamun (one of the dessert items was to die for)!

Restaurants in Colombo

We dine out here a lot and so I have decided to briefly review my experiences. Should have been doing this as they happened but better late than never eh? In this post I will review 3 restaurants. Limiting it to 3 per post as otherwise I will never finish the piece. Future posts will cover more restaurants.

Taprobane

Located in Cinnamon Grand Hotel, it is the best value for money eating place in Colombo in my opinion. You get 5 star ambience at unbelievably affordable prices. The food is mainly continental. Though the odd biryani does feature on the menu. There is a kid's menu too. Love the grilled fish in a herb/garlic saucewith rice and veg and also the spaghetti bolognese. All the kid's menu items are good too. My personal fave dessert item is the creme brulee which comes in two small glasses which is perfect for sharing. The service tends to be a bit slow at peak times though as they have a bustling crowd for the buffet to cope with as well.

Cricket Club Cafe

Even if you don't have a thing for cricket like me, this place is still worth a visit. The decor is interesting and a cricket lover's dream with signed memorabilia on display. The service is fast, though decidedly unfriendly. The prices are affordable and the dessert items are tasty. Personal favourite is the Mexican Chicken wrap. Also the mango crepes served with ice cream and garnished with coconut flakes was good (though the crepes were a tad on the hard side). Daughter loves their spaghetti bolognese. Prices are very affordable and the atmosphere is child friendly. Decor is a bit worn out though.

The Gallery Cafe

We dined here on our anniversary and it was worth it. The ambience is great, the place is packed, the decor classy. However the seats were not the most comfortable, I must say. The food made up for it. I had a champagne risotto. Daughter had a gnochhi dish. Forget what hubby had. The dessert was excellent. Here's a link to their site. http://www.paradiseroadsl.com/cafe/Introduction.html

The Gallery Cafe is situated right beside the Paradise Road Studio, a shop reminiscent of Zara Home which I just love. Both the shop and the restaurant are a bit on the pricey side.

Tsunami Alert

On the 12th of June, Sri Lanka was placed on tsunami alert after an earthquake in the Nicobar Islands of India. I felt the earthquake while lying in bed. At first was wondering why H was shaking the bed. Then figured it out. The next thought in my head was Tsunami. Checked the tsunami alert websites and sure enough Sri Lanka was placed on one. Panicked for a while as we live very close to the sea. Then went back to sleep at 1am. Woke up to find the alert had been lifted.

The Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage in Kegalle

Some friends of ours were travelling to the elephant orphanage and we decided to join in. It was a 2 hour drive from Colombo. One has to take the Kandy road which is full of views of dense forests, lush green hills and paddy fields. We caught the elephants taking their baths in the Maha Oya river, a lovely water body which looked ideal for white water rafting with its frothy white currents. It was a wonderful sight seeing these elephants engage socially. The Pinnawela elephants are the largest herd of elephants in captivity.

Cheese, Olive and Zaatar Grilled Sandwich

When Daughter returns from school I usually make an easy to eat lunch for her (as opposed to rice, curry etc which are hard to handle). She likes olives and zaatar spice a lot so I thought I would make something with both of them. Here's what she had today.

Cheese, Olive and Zaatar Grilled Sandwich

Ingredients:

Bread (any kind suitable for sandwiches)

Butter/Margarine

Zaatar Spice: 1/2 tsp for each slice of bread

Olives: 3 or 4 sliced thinly per slice of bread

Cheese: Emmental or Gouda slices

Method:

Butter the bread on both sides. Put cheese slice on the bread and olives on the cheese. Cover with another slice of bread buttered on either side. Sprinkle with zaatar spice on either side Grill on a pan or in the oven until golden brown. Serve warm and crispy.

Pineapple Chicken Stir Fry

Pineapples are plentiful here. So got inspired to try something new. Found this recipe on the web which I modified.

PINEAPPLE - CHICKEN STIR - FRY 1/4 c. soy sauce 2 tbsp. cornstarch 1/2 tsp. ground ginger 1 tbsp. vegetable oil 4 chicken breast halves, skinned, boned & cut into 1" pieces 1 garlic clove, minced 1/4 medium pineapple chunks 3/4 cup apple/pineapple juice 1/2 green capsicum 1 medium onion, sliced & separated into rings Method: Combine first 3 ingredients. Pour oil around preheated wok or skillet and heat. Add chicken and garlic; stir fry 2-3 minutes. Add pineapple and capsicum. Cover and cook 3-4 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Add soy sauce mixture and stir fry until sauce bubbles and thickens. Serve over hot cooked rice. Yield 4-6 servings. The original recipe can be found here: http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1639,145166-232194,00.html