Apple and Almond Halwa With Orange Whipped Cream

One of the first sounds I would wake up to in our town house, was an intense conversation between Gita Bai, the vegetable hawker and Ammi on life and such.

Gita Bai, the hawker who got the freshest produce in town made her first stop at our house. She would talk about her sons and daughters, their lives and miseries, the son who has ran away to the city, the daughter who has not been able to conceive a male child yet and the crops that are not doing well.  She would explain how she quickly, which I suppose was quite relative, wants to finish selling the vegetables so she could attend the road construction. Yes, attend, so she could get her name on the list of workers of the day, just so she could get paid but didn't necessarily have to work on the road. Ammi would listen, often losing her debate on what's really the right thing to do against Gita's theories of survival, being the only earning member in the family.

Sometimes I would sit next to Ammi, pick up the pea pods from a wooden weaved basket that was lined with floral but rugged cloth. Opening the tender bright green pods and discovering how many little balls would come out of it kept me amused and entertained. They were always sweet, the ones Gita Bai would pick up and hand me that is.

Photo Shoot For Cocoa Room

Cocoa room hardly needs any introduction of course, but the fact that you get to photograph one of your favourite breakfast places in Kuwait, is a deal to be happy about! Since the last time we had our breakfast there, they have added quite a few new things on their menu like pictured above Turkish poached eggs on garlic yogurt drizzled with clarified butter, paprika and mint served with sourdough bread that totally makes me weak at the knees. Here are some of the shots from the shoot. Hope you enjoy them!

Ras Malai - Sweet Milk Dessert with Dumplings

He didn't look nervous. There was a certain untouchable calm on his face that didn't match my own trembling self. My mom invited them inside the house, had them seated,  he and his mom. I peeked though the little opening in the kitchen outwards to the hall. I wondered why his calmness should surprise me. Hasn't he always been that way - calm, composed and confident.

Momentarily my eyes drifted from his face to the freshly fried samosa, that were being picked out of the kadai (wok) by my sister, arranged religiously onto the platter, neatly aligned, triangular crisp garam masala scented pastry. Should I eat one? I contemplated and decided against it. The flaky pastry might get stuck in my teeth I feared. My younger sister, went looking in the pantry for vintage tea saucers, that only came out for special guests. Oddly, the golden rim and dainty floral design with blushing rose pink roses matched my own dress.

Rhubarb and Cardamom Cake

The morning rays stream in abundance through her kitchen window where she and her humble three burner stove stands. Her henna colored white hair glitters like gold, the untamed golden sun makes her lines and wrinkles even more visible. She leans forward for her almond shaped marble mortar and pestle, never placed an inch further from its designated place.

She pulls her spice drawer and picks out the glass jar, labelled 'elaichi' in indecipherable Hindi writing, not that she ever reads or requires labeling.  But most treasured spices always got a glass jar and a label. The rest, found their fortune in plastic containers.

Flaky Blood Orange Tart with Salted Caramel Sauce

Friday brings mixed feelings to surface every single week. It is the only day of the week we get to spent together. Yet, before the day starts, fear of the day ending too fast starts evading my mind. The idea of sleeping through the day without having talked enough, cooked enough and done enough just scares me. Friday has to be special, something I can hold onto all week and look forward to the next.

Saffron and Almond Custard

I hope you all are as excited about 2012 as I am. I wanted to end this year on a sweet note and wish you a very happy new year. I can't thank you enough for being generously supportive over the year. But I'll try - thank you!

Chocolate Cinnamon Date Truffles (Sugar Free) and Eid Al Adha

In this week, Eid Al Adha will be celebrated by Muslims all over the world, to comommerate Ibrahim's devotion to God and his willingness to sacrifice his own son when God commanded. But just before he was to do so God replaced his son with a ram, and revealed to Ibrahim that his sacrifice has already been accepted.