Indian Congee

After doing cartwheels, bridges, and handstands for one hour at the local high school gymnasium, I rode my bike in leisure on my way back to the flat.

No, I did not join the local cheerleading squad.  I did enroll in an acrobatic class though with an intention to learn the basics of arm balances from a non-yogic pedagogical perspective.  It's a bit difficult because I am asked to do handstands with the chin on the chest and gaze to the direction where the nose is pointing.  It's hard because I'm used to looking down at a point in between my hands and use the gaze as a counterbalance.  It's something new and I'm like a kid learning a new trick.


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When the cup is empty, there is space for learning.

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I had a huge lunch and wasn't really very hungry so I thought, "Hmnnn... I should make dhal."

Being Pinoy, I had to have some rice but I didn't want to cook it separately so the dhal came out as lugaw (rice porridge) and it's very tasty.

Here are the ingredients.

One clove garlic, minced.  1/2-1 white onion, chopped. 1 tbsp olive oil.  A teaspoon of Madras curry powder.  1 vegetable cube.  3/4 cup yellow dhal. 1/4 cup rice.  5-8 cups water.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Saute onion in olive oil for 1-2 minutes until translucent and fragrant over very low heat.  Add the garlic and saute for maybe 1 minute.  Add the curry powder and mix well.  Add the dhal and rice.  Mix well.  Add water.  Turn heat to high and wait until it boils.  (Don't leave the on high heat like I did otherwise it will come to a rigorous boil and the water will spill over the pan).  Once the water is boiling, turn the heat to the lowest and simmer for 15-20 minutes.  You may need to add more water in the process so have a pot of hot water ready.  Stir occasionally to make sure the rice or dhal doesn't still at the bottom of the pan.  When almost done, add the vegetable cube.  Once it's dissolved, mix well into the porridge.  Have a taste.  I added a few more dashes of salt.  And then it's ready.  Serve on a bowl and top with crispy fried onions.  I'm not sure if you can easily find a packed crispy fried onions in the Philippines.  I was first introduced to this crispy fried onions in Riyadh and I really like it.  Not very sattvic though.

I'm just finishing the last of the porridge as I type this entry.  This recipe can easily feed 2 hungry yoginis but in my case...

I think I just discovered my winter food.

Let me know if you're trying this and if you like it.

Terve!

A hot soup to end a long and cold day...

Mitä kuuluu? Kiitos hyää.  Entä sulle? Ei mitään erikoista.

(How are you? I'm well thank you. And you? Nothing special)

But it was really cold this morning and it's not even winter yet.

This day was really long and to think it's only the start of the week.

So when I got 'home', I opened a can of ice cold beer while preparing dinner... creamy vegetable macaroni soup.

And I have a new discovery! Single bulb or elephant garlic.  I've never seen it before. It is apparently not a true garlic but a cousin of leek.
 
Anyway, I sauteed the garlic, 1/4 of a big white onion chopped, until translucent and fragrant.  I then added 1 cup of dried macaroni, stirred it into the garlic-onion mixture, added 3 cups of water and allowed to boil.

When the water started boiling, I turned the heat low and added chopped potatoes about 1 medium size or the size of an Asian fist :-p.  Adjusted the heat to high until it has returned to boiling and then turned it low again.

When the pasta and potatoes are half-cooked, I added 1 cup of mixed veggies (carrots, peas, red peppers, corn), about a cup of diced tofu (I used the marinated one that tasted like sausage.  I bought it from the organic shop in the city center, and I'm still trying all the available varieties), and a veg stock cube.  I added more water from time to time to prevent the mixture from drying out.

When the vegetables and pasta are cooked, I seasoned it with salt, black pepper, and some dried herbs.  To finish, I added one cup of fresh milk, and a tablespoon of butter.  I think it could serve 2-3 persons but I just had the last of it. 

Se oli herkullista (It was delicious!!!)