Saturday 9 February 2013

Saturday Snippets 3

Do you have a fetish?  

Yes, you heard what I said.  But it's not what you think.  This is mine:


These are my latest addition!  I know.  I probably won't ever be able to do more than just stand around in them.  Or sit and eat.  But what the heck, life's too short!

I do have another fetish - I'm always on the lookout for really beautiful and sexy underwear!  But you don't get to see any of that!!!

So..... WHAT IS YOUR FETISH?

*****

And now for my recipe of the week.  We eat a lot of Indian food in the UK.  We had this for dinner last night.  Cat asked me what this was, and I promised her I would write it down.  It's one of the most popular of Indian dishes and it's absolutely delicious.  It can take a whole day to make, but this is the 'quick' version.

LIGHTNING LAMB DHANSAK WITH PULAO RICE

Serves 4

500g (1lb 2oz) cubed lamb
2 tbspn garam masala
2-3 tbspns vegetable oil
2 onions, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
200g (7oz) diced pumpkin or butternut squash
100g (4oz) red lentils
600ml (1 pint) hot vegetable stock
1 tbspn curry paste
1 tbspn tamarind paste
25g (1oz) caster sugar
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbspns chopped fresh mint or coriander
juice of 1 lemon

Method

1  Toss the lamb in the garam masala.  Heat 1 tbspn of the oil in a large pan and quickly brown the lamb.  Transfer to a plate and set aside.

2  Add a little more oil to the pan, then cook the onions, garlic and pumpkin or squash for 5 minutes until softened and beginning to brown.

3  Now add the lentils, stock, curry paste, tamarind paste and sugar and return the lamb to the pan.  Bring to the boil.  Now place in a slowish oven for at least one hour.  160 degrees C, but don't worry if it's a bit hotter.  My oven has a tendency to vary.  Stir occasionally, until the mixture is thickened and the ingredients are lovely and tender.  

4  Check the seasoning, then stir in the mint or coriander and lemon juice, to taste.  Serve with pulao rice.

PULAO RICE

Serves 4

4 tbspns vegetable oil
3 onions, thinly sliced
1 cinnamon stick
1 tspn cumin seeds
3 cardamom pods, cracked
3 star anise
500g (1lb 2oz) basmati rice
2 tspns salt
handful fresh coriander leaves

Method

1  Heat the oil in a large pan and cook half the onions over a fairly high heat for about 10 minutes until crisp and lightly browned.  Drain on kitchen paper and set aside, leaving just a costing of oil still in the pan.

2  Add the remaining onions to the pan with the cinnamon, cumin, cardamom and star anise and cook gently for 5 minutes or so until the onions are golden.

3  Add the rice, cook for 1 minute, then add 1 litre (one and three quarter pints) of cold water and the salt.  Bring to the boil, cover and cook over a low heat for 12 minutes until the grains are tender and the water has been absorbed.

4  Remove from the heat and leave to stand, covered, for 5 minutes.  Transfer to a serving dish and scatter over the fried onions and coriander leaves; serve warm.

*****

I'm pretty hopeless at telling jokes because I always forget the punch line!  

However, I found this old book of pictoral jokes residing at the bottom of our bookcase.  I've no idea who bought it or why.  But I'll conclude this week with these.  I hope they make you smile.



So many people here are always going on about sitting on the sofa together in the evenings!  My sense of humour took over here!


And maybe a little, well you know, BDSM? for those who are interested?!


And finally, spring is on the way, and our resident 'barn' cat likes to fight off all opposition.  Starman gets incandescent if he is woken up by caterwauling cats!  I have to hide all my scent bottles, because he uses them as ammunition!

And you think you have problems!!!

26 comments:

  1. So glad this week ended for you on such an upnote. The shoes are beautiful. I wouldn't be able to stand the for long either. My days of wearing those type of shoes are over. Now I can just look and think "what was".

    The recipe sounds delish. Wish my hubby liked lamb.

    Some expensive room freshener huh

    Enjoy the rest of the weekend.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I still have shoes from thirty years ago! I like everything from flip flops to ankle boots. These will definitely not be for walking in!

      Tell me what your hubby likes and I'll find a recipe!

      I've even had tubes of lipstick hurled across the lawn!

      Hugs, Ami

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  2. Lol I'm the worst at jokes too. I always mess it up and say wait about halfway through trying to remember how it's supposed to go lol :)

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  3. Ooh Ami...I also have a shoe fetish and I love the newest addition to your collection! Shoes are made for making is feel beautiful...so what if I can't stand long. LOL

    Thanks for the recipe...after I try it, I will let you know how it turns out.

    The cartoons are cute...thanks for sharing.

    Collect some rocks, put them in a pretty bowl or basket and set them next to the window that Starman uses to chuck your scent bottles...hopefully, you can then quit hiding them. ;)

    So happy you are in a better place...have a wonderful weekend.

    Hugs and Blessings,
    Cat

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    Replies
    1. The trouble is that these days my shoes tend to come off half way through the evening! That's why I like open toed shoes, because somehow they don't feel quite as tight.

      Rocks are a good idea! It's such a pain having to go down in the morning and collect all my bits and pieces. In fact, it's an obvious solution and one I should have thought of years ago!

      Hugs, Ami

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  4. Ooh, I love the shoes Ami!, very cute! We love Indian dishes too. Thank you for the recipe, it sounds great.

    Lol, the cartoon are great. I'm absolutely hopeless at telling jokes too. I always mess up the punch line or forget half way through too LoL

    I'm so happy and relieved for you both that you received some positive news.

    Hugs,
    Roz

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    1. The recipe is good because it is spicy without being hot. If you want it to be hotter, make sure the curry paste is Madras. I tend to use Korma because it's mild.

      What is it with remembering jokes?

      This bit of 'thinking time' is important in order to make decisions. Thank you.

      Hugs, Ami

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  5. I do not even attempt to tell jokes. :-) Thanks for the recipe...love trying new things! Hugs, Terps

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    1. I rarely attempt jokes either Terps. I hope you get on okay with the recipe. It's very easy and fast to do.

      Hugs, Ami

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  6. I love Indian food! Never had the dish you mentioned though. I'll have to try it.

    Maybe it's being an Irishman, but I love telling a good joke. And sometimes I don't mind telling a bad joke lol :)

    I have to say Ami, you seem so positive recently! I don't always comment, but I always read here, and from the emails we've shared I feel I know you two a little bit and it's wonderful to see your spirits seem so high lately!

    ReplyDelete
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    1. If you like hot Indian food just ensure the curry paste is Madras. Surprisingly, many Indian dishes are more spicy than hot, and this is one of them. They also eat a lot of lamb and goat, because cows are sacred in many parts of India.

      My ancestors on my mother's side were Irish! But I don't have the gift of the gab - I chickened out when I saw the sheer drop over the Blarney Stone, and never got to kiss it!

      I try to be as positive as I am able. Some days it is more difficult than others, but this is where the 'underpinning' comes in. Unfortunately I've been suffering from an incapacitating cold virus these last few days and feel a bit like something the cat brought in! Look like it too! Such is life!

      Hugs, Ami

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  7. Ami, those shoes are very pretty! They must be fun to wear. Enjoy! I have one pair of something similar and my feet always scream at me when I put them on, so it doesn't happen often. We don't tend to get dressed up much around here, but when we do it is fun.

    Your recipe looks yummy! Thanks for sharing. Rob is not fond of Indian food, but I love it and I often go out with a friend to a place nearby to get my fill. I am pretty sure that if I made it at least one teen/young adult would partake. Prepared food never lasts long around here- especially when college kids are home! :) I am going to make it in the near future!

    I agree with MRBBS- it's good to see you posting something light and fun! Thanks for making me smile! Thinking of you and happy for you and Starman! (((((hugs)))))

    <3 Katie

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    1. Katie in case I haven't said Welcome before, I'm saying it now. My head is still stuffed full of cold virus! My feet tend to scream even before I put shoes like this on but I try to ignore it every once in a while. But frankly I can count the number of times a year I would wear a pair of shoes like this on one hand. Even less perhaps. I nearly always end up taking them off half way through.

      This recipe is not hot, just a little spicy and butternut squash, if you can get it, is sweeter than pumpkin and lends the dish a really nice flavour. It is truly a dish for the stressed housewife - very quick and easy.

      At the moment I have the need for being light-hearted or I start to 'dwell'. Thank you for your kind wishes.

      Hugs, Ami

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  8. Whoa, those are some killer heels Ami!

    I am always on the look out for beautiful and sexy underwear too...because my man really likes me in them...even though he doesn't let me stay in them for very long;)

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    1. I know Tess, and I'm already worried about how long I will survive wearing them. I am more stupid than I thought! And that is the whole point of sexy underwear surely?! We are on the same wavelength there! Only, I've never gotten on with strings or thongs. Just don't ask....!!!

      Hugs, Ami

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  9. Yum, I love shoes and I love Indian food too! I'll have to try your recipe. Thanks!

    Sara

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    1. I love them but I can't walk in them! Did I tell you I got a clutch bag to match?! I don't know who I'm fooling!

      Hope you get on okay with the recipe.

      Hugs, Ami

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  10. Loooooove the shoes Ami!
    And thanks for the recipe. I will try it soon and tell you how it went. Also love Indian food and cook it often.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Glad you like them. With this weather heaven only knows when I will be able to wear them! And good luck with the recipe.

      Hugs, Ami

      Delete
  11. Love those shoes! I'm a purse girl myself. I have waaaayyyyyyy too many of them. Or so my hubby says ;)

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    1. Oh Tricia - I got the purse (clutch bag?) too!!! But I reckon shoes and bags are good vices, right?!

      Hugs, Ami

      Delete
  12. Love the shoes. I'm a knickers girl myself, always buying a pair.

    Had chicken dhansak on Friday (for some reason I don't like lamb in a curry. Just me I think)

    Love,
    Ronnie
    xx

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    1. Ronnie dear I know you like knickers - I seem to remember we share the same taste! Did you realise that if you go into any large Debenhams store to the underwear department and get down on your knees and scrovel along the reduced rails you will find some amazing Reger underwear for a snip of the original prices? Also Ted Baker and Floozie. And they all have the beautiful oyster satin hangers with the little gold tassels!

      I think you could use anything in a dhansak. So in the UK it must have been the night for dhansak then?!

      Hugs, Ami

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  13. Ami, I love beautiful underwear, too. On Lynda of course :).

    The cartoons were entertaining. I liked the first one and could relate to the second--we have a cat whose ONLY saving grace is the Lynda and the boys love it.

    Have a nice day.

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    1. You are a wise man about the underwear Mick. But I never could get Starman to buy me any. He's always chickened out and got his secretary or someone to buy it for him. How embarrassing is that!!!

      Our cat got 'done over' at the weekend, so now we are gunning for the 'stray' we saw hanging around who jumped him! Did you know that in this country you can buy 'lion pooh pellets' to sprinkle on your garden to put off cats from digging up your flower beds? Just another little bit of useless information....

      Hugs, Ami

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