November 1994 (Grade IV)
Morning 7.00 AM
Little me - Sleeping to glory.
"Get up baby! its getting late for school today". My mom's voice echoes in the bedroom.
Morning 7.00 AM
Little me - Sleeping to glory.
"Get up baby! its getting late for school today". My mom's voice echoes in the bedroom.
One of the most toughest ordeal for my mom during my young days was waking me up in the morning. She would sometimes sweetly whisper into my ears to get out of the bed or sometimes bribe me with an outing in the evening or promise me an ice cream for the day or sometimes give severe beatings on my bum to wake me up :-) (smiles)
One such morning was this incident:
"Get up dear! see how its raining today. Come. Lets see through the window" my mom lifted me from the bed.
"Wow. So no school today huh?" was my immediate question and as I peeped out of the window pane I saw a chubby puppy cuddling to my money-plant pot.
"No, no! Brush and get ready for school.Fast!". My mom announced.
There is a small flashback here: I have always wanted to have a dog at home. But I was totally denied to have one because my parents felt that maintaining it in an apartment is difficult.
So when I saw the cute brown puppy that morning, I became really fond of it.
I got ready and left for school as usual.
When I got back home in the evening, I ran around my apartment building looking for the puppy and soon, my younger cousin D (also my partner in any crime :-) joined me in the search and we finally located it near a bush. We lifted it and brought it to my home.
My mother didn't let us in and after few pleadings and cryings, she permitted to have it in the backyard. My cousin and I took a hose pipe and gave it a complete wash. It kept running around the garden and we kept running around it. We then wrapped it in a towel and kept milk for it in the coconut shell. After hours of analyzing, we named it Browny.
Our everyday entertainment was playing with him. We have seen dog owners making their dogs "Give shake-hands" "Make them jump". So we wanted our Browny to do it. So, one day we kept him on the wooden bench and placed a stick across and screamed "Jump Browny! Jump!!". He didn't react and was licking his legs. Immediately D screamed in a higher decibel "Brownnnyyyyyyyy! Jump!". Again no reaction from him. Ha ha!! We really couldn't make him do it.
We used to over-feed him with biscuits and milk.He can hardly move around with his blotted stomach. We used to apply powder to his face and tie ribbons around the neck n tail. What a fun!
Within few days, he climbed up the stairs to other floors of the apartment and sometimes did potty there. My most unfriendly neighbor J living in the second floor was so annoyed with this and one fine day she shouted at me and D :-( for feeding the dog and letting it roam around the apartment. She looked like a fairytale witch to us. We were trembling and tears were rolling down our cheek. My uncle and dad heard this lady's voice and came outside our home. They shouted back at her for scaring us this way. The next day, my mom had called up the Blue Cross Society (Animal Care Center in India) and they took our dear Browny away.
"Get up dear! see how its raining today. Come. Lets see through the window" my mom lifted me from the bed.
"Wow. So no school today huh?" was my immediate question and as I peeped out of the window pane I saw a chubby puppy cuddling to my money-plant pot.
"No, no! Brush and get ready for school.Fast!". My mom announced.
There is a small flashback here: I have always wanted to have a dog at home. But I was totally denied to have one because my parents felt that maintaining it in an apartment is difficult.
So when I saw the cute brown puppy that morning, I became really fond of it.
I got ready and left for school as usual.
When I got back home in the evening, I ran around my apartment building looking for the puppy and soon, my younger cousin D (also my partner in any crime :-) joined me in the search and we finally located it near a bush. We lifted it and brought it to my home.
My mother didn't let us in and after few pleadings and cryings, she permitted to have it in the backyard. My cousin and I took a hose pipe and gave it a complete wash. It kept running around the garden and we kept running around it. We then wrapped it in a towel and kept milk for it in the coconut shell. After hours of analyzing, we named it Browny.
Our everyday entertainment was playing with him. We have seen dog owners making their dogs "Give shake-hands" "Make them jump". So we wanted our Browny to do it. So, one day we kept him on the wooden bench and placed a stick across and screamed "Jump Browny! Jump!!". He didn't react and was licking his legs. Immediately D screamed in a higher decibel "Brownnnyyyyyyyy! Jump!". Again no reaction from him. Ha ha!! We really couldn't make him do it.
We used to over-feed him with biscuits and milk.He can hardly move around with his blotted stomach. We used to apply powder to his face and tie ribbons around the neck n tail. What a fun!
Within few days, he climbed up the stairs to other floors of the apartment and sometimes did potty there. My most unfriendly neighbor J living in the second floor was so annoyed with this and one fine day she shouted at me and D :-( for feeding the dog and letting it roam around the apartment. She looked like a fairytale witch to us. We were trembling and tears were rolling down our cheek. My uncle and dad heard this lady's voice and came outside our home. They shouted back at her for scaring us this way. The next day, my mom had called up the Blue Cross Society (Animal Care Center in India) and they took our dear Browny away.
Every time we see a puppy in the road, my cousin D and I would spare a huge smile and talk about this incident. We can never forget Browny or that hysteric silly neighbor J in our life.
The most beautiful phase in anyone's life is the innocent childhood and I just love recollecting those naughty yet lovely moments.
The post for today is Dry Peas Curry. This is yet another dish from my grandmom's kitchen.This is the most famous family meal we would ask her often. Its quite healthy and easy to cook. This scrumptious crispy curry is sure to tickle everyone's taste buds. The dish's main ingredient is peas and is cooked by coating it with a lovely thick paste of onions and tomatoes. The mild heat comes from the chilli powder.
Ingredients
- 500gm boiled peas
- 2 finely chopped onions
- 2 finely chopped tomatoes
- 5-6 finely chopped garlic cloves
- 2-4tsp chilli powder
- 2 tsp cumin seeds
- Salt to taste
- 2 tbs olive oil
- 1 onion
- 1 tomato
- 5-6 garlic cloves
Grind the onion, tomato and garlic to a fine thick paste without adding water. Keep them aside.
Heat 1 tbs olive oil in a cooking vessel. Once heated up, add the cumin seeds and let it splutter. Add the onions with little salt and let it sweat. Cook for about 10min on low flame with the lid on. Now add the tomatoes and cook till the oil separates. Add in the chilli powder and cook till the raw smell disappears.
Add the above made paste and add very little water. Cook for another 10min. It should be dry and thick. Now add the boiled peas and remaining oil and cook for 3-5 min. It should get a crispy texture.
Adjust salt to taste.
Serve hot with steamed rice/ bread/ baguette/ naan.
This is my entry for Michelle's and Meeta's Monthly Mingle "Healthy family dinners".
Check out these dishes as well!
Tapioca Masala Curry
nice recipe..will do it sometime..
nice read...my fav curry..lovely
Trail back to me, I have a sweet surprise for you in my blog..
i like your browny experience... i used to have a doggy by name sony which used to be in our compound... i guess when i was in class 1 or class 2... :) and the peas curry is nice... i wd include this in my usual recipe listing as side dish for chappatis
looks delicious, Vij. Loved the puppy story too..especially the witch. :))
What a cute sweet moment with the little puppy! I love this post! Lovely curry too
Interesting photo in the middle!
The curry looks very delicious ...nice picture. I too have amny pleasant memories of tying ribbons on my dog, sometimes powder him and keep a bindi too :)
Lovely dish n cute story Vij..:)
peas curry looks absolutely gorgeous. will try it.
I do curry with dry peas too, urs looks delicious, loved the story..wat a sweet memories na..
You know, so often I only make stewed peas and the only peas I have curried is channa. I must try currying other peas.
Nice and simple recipe sounds yum....very nice post, enjoyed the read :-)
I did see your recipe about the peace curry.The recipe was excellent and the introduction was also very good.Keep the good work going.
With warm regards,
Uncle & Aunty.
Loved your story and laughed at the witch..Peas masala looks yummy
hi swt hrt.... your recp looks yummy.. de machi , & photo tempts me to cook... (but wat to do cos of vasthu v dono have kitchen hah he.. kidding). your peas curry is innovative and yummyyyyyyyyyy :-)
k kkk bye dr tc
this is your partner in crime D signing of :)
Thats a lovely story.. A similar story happened in my life too... in my school days.
Nice! You made me recollect all those golden memories...
Hey, this curry looks delicious!
Thank you for sharing your story with us. :)
I love your profile description, I used to be that girl too :).
As for the dish it looks delicious, I'd have this curry anytime of the day!
Great minds think alike. Michelle will have two peas recipes. I must try this the next time I make peas as it sounds delicious.
a wonderful simple yet lovely entry! thanks!
Oh i've not had dry peas masala made with this thick, spicy gravy.. bookmarking to try. Looks awesome.
That pea curry looks good!
Nice blog. I enjoyed it when you were saying about your puppy. And your recipe is too tasty. I made it and my family appreciates me for this food. Thanks dear…… :)