Tea for Easing Sore Throat and Chest

2 cups water
1 teaspoon dried chilli seeds

1 piece cinnamon

2 cloves

2 teabags

1 ½ tablespoon ginger
Milk

Honey

Place water, chilli seeds, cinnamon and cloves in a pot and bring to boil.  Add teabags, ginger and milk and allow to brew for a few minutes. Sweeten with honey. This really works.

Brocolli

I didn't feel like getting out the steamer yesterday, so I made broccoli in a pot.  I heated a cast iron pot on the stove and boiled some water in the kettle.  I poured the boiled water into the hot pot and added salt. I nearly burned myself because the boiled water started bubbling as soon as it hit the pot.  I added the broccoli and let it cook for 5 minutes only. It was delicious. I ate it with brown rice and cauliflower, a mixture of fresh beans  and potato curry that I had made the day before.

I also made mutton mince curry and a whole pile of small rotis yesterday and was told that it was very tasty. Here is the roti recipe for what it’s worth. I feel that a person has to be taught how to make it because there are some complicated steps.

Roti

2 cups flour

2 tablespoons oil

Boiling water

Place 2 cups of flour in a dish. Add 2 tablespoons of sunflower oil.  Add boiling water and mix until it reaches a doughy consistency.  Then use your hands and need the dough while it is still hot. Break of a handful of dough and pat it into smooth round balls.  Dip it into flour and flatten using your fingers.  Place the pieces (chakwa) on a floured surface. Use up all the dough while it’s still hot.  Roll out the chakwa with a rolling pin  and toast in a non stick pan or iron griddle (thawa). You can use a little oil or ghee during the toasting process.

I made roti

Yes, I did it. My mum talked me through the process over the phone. Of course I had seen her do it hundreds of times and considering that I am a champion roti toaster (seko), I managed to turn out a few very tasty and soft rotis.

Don’t they look good?

I also tried fish curry. I was told that it was ok, but I was supposed to use a little less tamarind and a lot more chilies.

The movie 31 million reasons  turned out to be pretty good. Jack Devnarian and Neville Pillay did a great job. There is a nice quote from the movie but I have not been able to source it from google - along the lines of “Being from Chatsworth means never having been anywhere else”. The dialogue and the whole screenplay in general could have been a lot better. But overall, it was worth the movie ticket.

I have been playing with/learning tarot a lot lately. I do a card a day and now I am acquainted with the Strength; Tower; King of Swords; Knight of Wands; Wheel of Fortune; 8 of Cups; and Death cards. This stuff is fascinating.

The latest recipe I have concocted is called chickpeas and halloumi cheese. I decided to cook my own dinner but I had no particular dish in mind. I just went and scrounged around the (nearly bare) kitchen and found some mixed vegetables and boiled chickpeas in the freezer and some old halloumi in the fridge.

Chickpeas, Vegetables and Halloumi Cheese
1 cup of boiled chickpeas
½ an onion, sliced
Chilli Flakes
Mustard Seeds
1 cup of frozen mixed vegetables
2 slices of halloumi cheese cut into cubes
2 tablespoons
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper

Mix chickpeas, onions, chilli flakes, mustard seed and salt and place in a small oven proof dish. You can also add a hint of jeera (cumin) if you want. Cook for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and place the frozen veg over the chickpeas and add salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and add the olive oil and mix everything together. I only did it this way because I only realized then that I had forgotten to use any oil but it turned out to be a happy accident. Cook for 10 more minutes and remove from oven. Place a portion (serving for one person) into a smaller oven proof bowl and sprinkle some of the cubed halloumi on top and grill for a few minutes. Serve and enjoy.