Orange Nankhatai - Indian Shortbread Cookie

 

This year has been one fine year. From the arrival of my little sunshine, having family and friends visiting all year round and getting to work on photography and food assignments - I feel totally blessed. To make sure I make most of the family time, the blogging has taken a small step back but I'm so excited about the coming year and what it holds.

Pumpkin Orange Halwa and Latest work for Ecru

Pumpkin was never a major part of my life growing up and not something we made at home often. Weekend eat outs would sometimes have pumpkin desserts which we devoured but never requested Ammi to make. Then, there were community dinners that sometimes featured pumpkin halwa, which I liked but still preferred Ammi's bottle gourd halwa, carrot, apple and pineapple halwa hands down.

Two Chef and A Waitress - Nuqat 2013

Last week, I was lucky enough to be tiny part of a dinner hosted by Chef Mariam Al Nusif and Chef Dana al Tourah at Bayt Lothan for the organisers and speakers of Nuqat 2013, a local platform that brings forward creatives from all over the world.

The supper was themed around pooling together local produce and talents. All the greens and dairy was sourced locally from Sharq Organic Farm and some from Mariam's own farm.

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.

Sweet and Sour Pumpkin - Khatta Meetha Kaddu

This last year when I got to spend a whole lot of time with Ammi (mom), I was reintroduced to pumpkin, a vegetable I loathed in savory preparations as a child and never quite embraced into adulthood. Infact, I was amazed at the voracity with which my siblings looked forward to the lunches that involved pumpkin.

Amaranth Pea Fritters (Amaranth Vada)

We rushed through the narrow passage hunting down our seats in an attempt to get the window seat. It was for the first time we three sisters were travelling alone and we debated for a while who's going to be the odd one who had to sit with someone else. Being the eldest, I sat my younger sisters together and took to my separate seat anxiously waiting for who would come next to mine.

A huge lady walked to the seat and before she settled, I wondered if she would fit into the cramped economy class seats with barely any leg room. Would she be able to get up if I had an emergency nature's call? What if she snored? The feeble mind of a 13 year old.