Lemon Curd

Lemon curd is an absolute tangy, lemony, golden goodness. Lemon curd adds the right amount of acidity to a sharp sweetness of any dessert. It instantly elevates the store bought muffin or pound cakes. The entire process itself is quite easy, a little whisking action is required to get that smooth texture. 

The very first time I tasted the lemon curd was at a waffles restaurant, waffles were topped with lemon curd and whipped cream. It’s their signature waffles and I fell in love with the combination of sweet and tang. I never really gotten myself to make lemon curd. Since I was at my mom’s and had people around to share the food, I decided to make some lemon curd and Vanilla sponge cake. I used the lemon curd as a filling with buttercream frosting in the Vanilla sponge cake. It tasted divine.

Generally the Indian lemons are quite stronger than US lemons. I have to be honest with you guys, I really don’t know if it’s lemon or lime we get it in India. Lemon/lime available in India are more tangy than US lemons. Taste the lemon juice before adding it to the the egg yolks. If you feel like it might be too sour, you can reduce the amount of lemon juice.

Note: Freeze the egg whites for later use or if you feel ambitious make macaroons.

Ingredients,

Lemon zest -2 big indian lemon (1/2 tbsp)
Lemon juice – 1.5 lemon or 3tbsp
Sugar- 1/4 cup
Yolk – 2
Cold butter – 2.5 tbsp
A pinch of salt

Prepping,

Add all the ingredients to a glass bowl or a heavy bottom bowl. Whisk everything together until well combined.

Place the bowl over a double boil while simmering and whisk continuosly.

The mixture will start to thicken. Lemon curd will be ready in 5 to 6 minutes. The texture of lemon curd should be closer to hollandaise sauce.

Remove the bowl from heat and stir in the cold butter. Lemon curd is ready.

Note: Store in refrigerator for about a week and use. Lemon curd also freezes well. Thaw it overnight and use.

Lemon Curd

Flashcards for toddlers

Before getting into the topic of ‘Flashcards for toddlers’, I will give a brief on Matt. Hence it would be easy to understand why I chose flashcards instead of the block books. 

Matt is at a stage of exploring and learning by himself. Matt likes to be independent and we encourage his independency. Recently he has started to learn words. He also picks words from our conversation. When we take our kids out, we naturally show and tell to kids like ‘that’s a car’ or ‘that’s a bird’. The same way we started our ‘show and tell’, Matt loved learning and repeating at his terms(If he doesn’t want to repeat, he would action a no). He will listen to the words and repeat only when he feels like it. We also didn’t push him to learn but we still encouraged it.

Now coming to the flashcards, most of you might be familiar with the vinyl wall stickers. We also did various vinyl stickers of animals on our bedroom and living room walls. Matt did learn those and I also felt like introducing new ones to him. Adding more stickers would make the walls look busy. Books are also a big no-no for Matt. He will not sit and turn a page, he might sit on a book, tear the pages or dunk the book in the water. So I got those non-tearable and washable flashcards. Yet again he doesn’t have the patience to look at the pictures. He would just try to fold or tear it. That’s when I started putting a few on the walls. I used the wall-safe or mess-free tapes to stick the flashcards. 

Matt doesn’t repeat or learn everything on the wall. He will recognize the things he sees around. For example, I did put up a few fruit pictures on the door. Matt took brought a real banana from the fruit basket and showed it to us pointing at the picture. Then I did the ‘show and tell’, Matt it’s a banana. He grasped it quickly. So the point of flashcards is to familiarise and learn. 

Why is chose flashcards?

• Flashcards are easy to travel with. 

The COVID situation has made me rethink what I buy for my use. When I have to travel back and forth from my mom’s place, my in-laws and my home. Flashcards could be Matt’s constant plaything. 

• Can swap or add more flashcards to the wall. 

Always try to stick flashcards on the wall with a  mix of both familiar and new ones. This kindles the learning spirit. Kids would want to learn the new ones next to the familiar flashcards.

• Flashcards for a memory game. 

You can ask kids to group similar cards of animals or birds. This is ideal for preschoolers. 

• Flashcards for puzzles. 

For the next developmental stage, you can DIY puzzle pieces with the old flashcards. 

• Flashcards will last longer.

Invest in a good quality card, that is washable and non-tearable. 

I know it is hard and safe to go out to shop. Amazon does have a list of good quality flashcards. The one I use is Zigyasaw.

Miscarriage & Depression

Long post alert

Miscarriage.

Still, it is a touchy subject for me. Now I have a son who is 1.5 years old, Thank God. Side note, I have written this article n number of time and have deleted it too. For some reason, I couldn’t get myself to finish the article or even post it. This is no shame or hesitation in airing my dirty laundry. It’s just that the pain I went through and the time I took to come out of the depression was not a good part of me to share with. It involves too much pain, disappointment and desperation.

Andy and I got married in 2013 and moved to the US. I was in my mid 20’s when I had my first miscarriage. It happened two years after our marriage. At that time we were residing in California, it was just me and Andy. I was on a dependent visa, so my daily routine would be chores, watch TV, gym and study(I studied Technical writing & Interior Design). Mid-year we found out that we were pregnant. After a week or so, I had a spontaneous miscarriage. We were broken, we couldn’t process it. The doctor said that it happens sometimes without any reason at all. I didn’t feel like opening up to anyone else except Andy and my friend Deb. I did blame myself for the miscarriage, subconsciously I knew that it wasn’t my fault. But I couldn’t help myself from hurting within. I kept running through my mind, what did I do wrong? Andy kept consoling me, said that it is not my fault.

Soon I fell into depression and desperation. I was hoping to be pregnant following months. A year passed and reached my highest level of depression. I went into fertility treatment which was unnecessary and my doctor advised me ‘your not even 30, your still young and you should wait before starting the treatment’. The doctor understood my desperation. I went under treatment. Nothing worked. At that point, I understood that I am not happy. Lack of positivity and depression was hindering with my health. After a few months of treatment, I decided that I should grieve and move on properly. I should get positive to get pregnant. My depression was taking over my mind and body every day. Eating away my happiness, most of all our happiness. I started diverting myself, I cooked a lot and also blogged religiously. I made a planner and stuck with it. Blogged regularly. This did help me come out of depression slowly. Used my Technical writing certificate and did an unpaid internship. I wasn’t bothered about getting paid, just need to busy all day. It took me a year to feel better.

Dec 2016, we travelled back to India to settle down. Soon tragedy hit us again. even before we could catch our breath it happened soon. By January we got settled in Chennai. I was just getting ropes of living in Chennai. Don’t get me wrong, though I didn’t have any domestic help in the US living there was easy. Finding my way and getting into a routine was hard at first then I learnt. The very next month we found that we are pregnant. We were on cloud nine. We were happy and relieved to be pregnant again. I felt pathetic to be relieved. We should be celebrating yet this was a relief. I also started a new job much against my family’s wish while I was pregnant. A month passed and everything went down south. The doctor couldn’t find a heartbeat and I miscarried again. The doctor stated that it was an unhealthy pregnancy. Physically it was traumatising than my previous miscarriage.

Long story short, I soon fell into depression. I blamed and hated myself extensively. I didn’t want to blame myself, I was pushed to blame myself. Though Andy was putting up a brave face for me, he was broken too. In the phase of depression, I did stress eat. But I did give me ample time to grieve. It helped me. I also spoke to Andy openly how I felt. We started supporting each other.

Believe it or not, an Instagram post helped me get through depression.

‘Start acting happy, even when you not happy. Happiness will become your habit and become your lifestyle. Before you know, you will be happy’.

I started acting to be happy for three reasons. Number one, I didn’t want Andy to be sad on my account, he was helpless. Number two, I did not like to be pitied by people around me, yes it made me seem stone-hearted. I am not a crier too. Number three, positive thoughts for a positive outcome. I had to quit my job. I immersed in freelance writing and blogging work. it took me a year to heal mentally and physically. I made a few lifestyle changes to, healthy eating and exercise. Healthy lifestyle pushed me towards positivity. I opened up to my friends more this time. I started hanging out with them more. Andy was being supportive throughout this process.

To our surprise, we were pregnant for the third time with Matt. I was terrified through the entire term of pregnancy. That feeling of uneasiness was lifted once I got to hold Matt.

Matt is short for Matthew, meaning ‘God’s gift’. We did stay spiritual throughout my depression and our pregnancy.

For anybody going through fertility treatment, miscarriage or any other tragedy. Be hopeful, this to will pass. everything will get better one day.

One small request to everyone reading this very long post. If you know someone depressed. Give them time to open up. Be there for them. If they finally open up to talk, listen to them patiently with zero judgment. When your listening with judgment, it would be hard for them to start talking. Most depressed people hit rock bottom when they don’t have someone to talk. A depressed person requires someone to talk with rather than a quick solution. Don’t be so quick to say, ‘I told you so’ or ‘you should have done that’ or ‘its all your fault’. These statements will make their state of mind worse. Just listen.

(Being depressed made me miss few friends and family happy milestones. Couldn’t be there for a friend when they’re going through something dire. You will miss being in reality, later on, it will hurt. Don’t be ashamed to get help or lent help. )

I have amazing friends and a very patient husband, who got me through my tough times.

Book review 3: The woman in cabin 10 – Ruth Ware

I am going to keep this book review brief.

Though this book was slightly predictable, it was still a good read. I loved reading it till the end. This is not a book you would quit reading even after you theorize the plot. (FYI: I generally stop reading a book if get the sense of a book’s ending.) You would want to finish reading it till the end. At one point in the novel, the writer would torch your reading like to know if Laura Blacklock’s life is going to be tragic or fortunate.

90% of the story happens on the small cruise ship with very people on board. The author Ruth Ware walks you through every aspect of the cruise ship: guest cabins, dining, lobby, spa, hot tubs and also the cabin crew. The entire story is about a journalist on a venture to find the missing women from the next-door cabin. Along with her search, she deals with her anxiety, PTSD from the home burglary, claustrophobia and her ex-boyfriend Ben. The author also gives a bigtime reality check on the prejudicial society. How a woman can be judged based on her past and the medication she takes to cope with her anxiety.

If you are someone who enjoys thriller movies or series, this book is a perfect page-turner for you. All in all, it is a good summer read. 

Book review 2: Two Lives of Louis and Louise – Julie Cohen

Its been so long since I had a ‘me time’. Since Matt is a big boy now, I can get little time to read before my bedtime. Can’t believe he is a toddler now, it was like he was born yesterday. Also, I am reading the books via Kindle. Can’t say I enjoy it, maybe got used to it. This COVID situation and Matt made me choose Kindle.

‘Two Lives of Louis and Louise’ is my COVID lockdown read. This novel was suggested by a family friend, Jen. Thanks to her, a good suggestion. It is awesome to have friends and family who read and suggest books to read. Finally, you will have something nice to talk with them apart from the pandemic situation. Now going into the novel. Some novels are a page-turner, some leave you incomplete, some travels and stays with you. This particular novel will stay with you.

The novel itself happens in Casablanca, Maine. The town is built around a flourishing paper mill. This is the story of two individuals with red hair, born into the same family and having the same twin friends (Allie and Benny). The only difference is their gender and ditto name, Louis and Louise with an ‘e’. The gender difference significantly played a role in shaping up the events of that unfortunate night. The author Julie Cohen beautifully jumps from Louis to Louise without losing the continuity. The whole book is artfully written, especially when it comes to explaining the story of Louis and Louise in one chapter.  In a nutshell, one life lived by two different individuals. This entire book is a bonus read, you get two different stories in a single read.

It is a page-turner with a ‘feel-good’ ending.

 

Brownie Crinkle Cookie

Oh My God! This cookie is just divine. If you love good chewy chocolate cookie, this might be your new favourite cookie. BCC is an easy to make cookie.

Ingredients,

Unsalted butter – 1/2 cup

Dark chocolate – 1 cup (chopped)

Light brown sugar – 2/3 cup

Sugar – 1/2 cup

Eggs – 2

All-purpose flour – 1 cup

Cocoa powder – 3 tbsp

Baking powder – 1 tsp

Vanilla essence – 1/4 tsp

Salt – 1/4 tsp

Prepping,

Preheat oven at 150 degree Celsius. Line the baking trays with parchment paper.

Crack open eggs in a separated bowl. Beat the eggs for 2 minutes either by whisk or electrical mixer. Add the sugars to the bowl.and best for another 5 minutes.

Melt butter and chocolate in a heavy bottom vessels and let it cool down. Whisk continuously while melting.

Mix chocolate and egg mixture. At this point add the vanilla essence and mix it again.

Swift flour, baking powder, salt and cocoa powder. Slowly add the dry ingredients in the wet ingredients bowl and mix until all the ingredients are incorporated.

Do not over mix the batter. Do not panic. The batter will be more on the wet side when compared to the other cookie dough.

Spoon the batter onto the baking tray with enough space. This cookie will spread and cook.

Bake for 10 to 12 mins. Some oven might take 15 mins. Let the cookies cool in the baking sheet itself for another 20 minutes. The cookie will rise and form a dome and sink in once cool down. 

You will have a perfectly crispy and crinkle cookie on the outside with a chewy centre.

 

Enjoy it with a glass of milk…

Note:

To get the shiny top. Spoon all the batter onto the trays. You can bake the trays separately. But spoon them all at once.

You can top the cookie with chocolate chips or nuts.

 

 

Zeppole

Matt was bored from having his usual evening snacks. He is just 1.5 years old. This little guy has got some sophisticated palette. He wants adult food. Also, my mom insisted on making something for Matt’s evening snacks. He happily licked off the sugar-coated Zeppoles and patiently chewed the fritters.

Zeppole is one of the easiest dessert or snacks to make. It is made from pizza dough. Unlike any other dough, pizza dough is not tough to make. It requires fewer ingredients and little patience for the dough to rise.

PIZZA DOUGH

Warm water- 1 cup

Sugar- 2 tsp

Yeast- 1.5 tsp

All-purpose flour- 2.5 cup

Salt- 1.5 tsp

Oil- 2tbsp

ZEPPOLE

Powders sugar -1/2

Cinnamon powder- 2 tsp

Oil for deep frying

Dough Prepping,

To activate the dry yeast, in a cup of warm water add the sugar. Sprinkle the yeast on the water. Let it sit for five minutes. You will start seeing the bubbles. Your yeast is activated now.

If your yeast is not activated, probably it is old. Start over again with fresh yeast.

In a wide mixing bowl, add flour and salt. Give it a mix. Pour in the yeast mixture and oil. Mix well or until all the ingredients are well incorporated.

Transfer the dough to a clean working surface. Knead the dough for 10 minutes or until smooth. Tuck the dough and form a ball. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel. Let it rise for about 2 hours.

Zeppoles Prepping,

After two hours the dough must have doubled in size and bubbly. Knead the dough again for a minute.

In a deep fry pan, heat enough oil for deep frying.

Sprinkle some flour on to the working surface and flatten the dough for about 2 cm thickness. Now divide the dough into 3 cm logs. Use a clean knife cut into a bite-size piece.

Drop few pieces into the oil. Fry them in medium-low flame, until golden on both sides. Once fried, transfer the fritters to a plate lined with kitchen paper towel.

Save Water

Water, water everywhere but not a drop to drink.

I recently lost my grandma. We had a small gathering at my mom’s place followed by lunch. Like any other get-together we planned this one to every small detail. We planned the food, hot and cold beverages. When it came to water we chose water bottles. I was so against Using water bottles. On the day of he funeral almost half the water bottles went to trash with water. Bottled water was completely out of necessity since the power was out and we needed clean drinking water. So as a last resort we went with water bottles. I did see half the bottle went as waste. We did end up pouring the left out water for plants. Seeing so much drinking water go to waste when people around the world are struggling to get a glass of water is heartbreaking.

Again for the memorial gathering too many bottles went to waste. More than the funeral day. It’s sad to see kids where not taught to use water efficiently. Almost couple dozen of water bottles were thrashed 3/4th full. Again bottled water was to make our life easier. It became a trend. I failed to convince my family to serve water in glasses. I am never going to order water bottles for gatherings.

Please do think twice before getting bottles for any gathering or have to get creative to help people not to waste water. Please do educate kids to use water conservatively.

Soy Soi, Kotturpuram

My pregnancy cravings is all over the place. I did have pizza dreams all during my second trimester. When I entered third trimester I started craving for something spicy, tangy, creamy and fresh. All I wanted is Thai food, especially red curry and sticky rice.

I did have some bad experience with Thai food in Chennai. Finding a decent red curry was not easy. We have driven by Soy Soi so many times. One weekend either of us wasn’t in a mood to cook and in a whim we decided go for a lunch date. Food was amazing.

We ordered Chicken Dim Sum, Shrimp Satay, Red Curry and Coconut Pana cotta. Dim Sum was fresh. Be patient before you taste the Dim Sum, it was steaming hot and burnt my tongue. It was worth though. Whenever Andy has an exciting food experience he has that goofy content face.

Shrimp Satay was pungent and spicy. Not too spicy, I don’t do spicy well. It was different from regular Satay. For past few months I have restrained myself from ordering mocktails or iced tea while having food. But the cucumber cooler sounded good for the third-trimester hot flash. It was so cooling and refreshing. The red curry was mild and fragrant full, perfect with sticky rice. By far the only good red curry we ever had in Chennai.

The Coconut Pana Cotta is a must try. Perfect ending for lunch. The Kaffir Lime syrup complimented the creamy Coconut Pana Cotta.

The whole experience at Soy Soi was amazing. The staffs were great and the food was yummy. Looking for Pan-Asian food in Chennai, visit Soy Soi.

 

Address:

2/10, Gandhi Mandapam Rd, Chitra Nagar,

Kotturpuram, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600085

 

 

 

 

Amazing food @ a mesmerizing stay

You might wonder why am I writing about a resort under good eats. Let me explain in a brief back story. Andy and myself know zero hindi except few words here and there. So touring in Northern part of India is clearly out of list. We just wanted a weekend break with a road-trip and a fancy hotel room. Also no steep mountains, since it’s the first long drive experience for Andy in Indian mountains. Well he did his fair share of funny things near the hotel entrance which was steep. It was literally ROFL time. Well our Swift and Andy handled it like a pro.

Thekkady seemed like a safe choice. Almost ten hours drive from Chennai. Thekkady is a small town with a natural mix of two southern states. We stayed in a mesmerizing hotel, Hills & Hues Resort. The room was just amazing with a 180 degree view. The staffs were great.

Next the food. Most hotels serve a breakfast buffet, it’s merely a 50/50 chance of tasting good. Hills & Hues served made to order eggs and a choice of Indian breakfast. It was yummy. You wouldn’t expect the food to taste good in a hotel. We actually over ate. But it worked since we were roaming a lot and the jeep ride too. It was around 3 when finally found decent restaurant to have lunch. If your staying at this resort I would suggest having all three meals there. We also ordered dinner with roti, veg kurma and the best tasting fish curry. The fish curry was out of the world experience. I have tasted too many varieties of Kerala fish curry. But this was the best fish curry. Actually the staff suggested the fish curry. Unfortunately I didn’t take any pictures of the food. But it’s a must stay hotel for a luxury experience. Amidst the lush green forest is the pearl of Zen hotel.

I would just go back for their fish curry and the room. You will find good deals at travel websites. Take a break from your busy schedule and stay at this resort. It’s just beautiful. I could enjoy the view all day long with some steamed rice and fish curry.

That’s Andy, at breakfast area.

The next morning we chose to have breakfast out with a view.

For more info:

http://www.hillsandhues.com/