Biryani Challenge ~ Afghani-style

When I first read about HH’s biryani challenge, I got really excited.
Looking up recipes, I got really excited.

& now, posting this, I’m really excited.

I decided to go the atypical route, and make an Afghani biryani (recipe here). This is because I grew up with Afghani biryani thanks to the family in the apartment across from ours. I still remember their lively dance parties, how the movements concentrated on the arms, and the events brought both family and friends together at least once a week. It didn’t matter if you’d never met the people before, by the end of the night (or should I say next morning?) you were like best friends. & without fail, there would always be a dish of nuts, lemon wedges, and a heaping tray of biryani. It was unlike anything I’d ever tasted. Very light and fragrant, with little candy punches from all the raisins mixed in. I don’t remember there being any meat, so I’ve left it out here.

To me this dish represents a home I once had, and that I know I can never go back to. Everyone moves away, and then you move, and the memories collect dust until a biryani challenge picks them up. So thank you, HH, for reminding me of part of my life I’d nearly forgot.

Mine ended up being a rather pared-down version since cardamom and cumin were not available. I substituted corriander instead, which is nothing close. But, a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do. I’m sure my neighbours would understand.

See what HH has been cooking, as well as the others in the challenge here.

Tutorial: How to Make Tails

New project! Shifting Frames —> click.
Let’s pretend that I didn’t miss last month’s tutorial, and move on to this month’s.

You can kind of see what I mean by tails on our Blood Dupre. We ran into the Queen and had to take a photo – she made her crown and sceptre out of wood! I’m the geek in the pink trying to hold her skirt down against the wind. I’ll do a tute for wig-making in the next few months.

We’re not talking about animal tails or anything like that here, though these tails would be nice for Hallowe’en. Oh no, we’re talking good old-fashioned coattails here. These tails are super easy to make, and you can attach these tails to any jacket you already have. If you have any questions, please ask! I know our hatter needed me to show her how to make these in person since it was a bit difficult to follow online.

Memories ~ Desert Candy

If you’ve been here for a while, you’ll have seen that I don’t say much about my ancestral background. In part, that’s because I don’t feel much of a connection to it. I was born in Canada, and only conversed with my parents in Tamil when I was very young. That pretty much stopped when I started school, so that I would pick up English more quickly. I can’t speak the language now, though I can understand a bit. The few Tamil children I played with moved away before I was 10 as well. The rest of my friends were mostly Oriental, which is probably why I post so many Asian recipes on this blog. We began eating more and more “English” food, and dropping the traditional customs after the other Tamil people left. I don’t even look like I am of Tamil descent.

Restless.

New project! Shifting Frames #1 out now! Check it.

Of Love and Quinces

I’m ashamed to admit it, but I haven’t done very much cooking lately. I’ve been eating an ungodly amount of delivered pizza instead. It’s not entirely my fault; I’m starting up a chapter of the HPA here, and my fellow exec have Pizza Pizza on speed dial.

I haven’t even had a proper grocery shopping session in a while. I was running out of necessities though, and did a quick Metro run. It was there that they found me – memories of my forgotten love, and the quinces that triggered them.

Sometime last year, I decided that if I ever had Michael Bublé over for dinner, I’d make him a quince tart. & he’d propose to me instantly after the first bite. A girl can dream, right? Alas, Mr. Bublé is now happily married to another, and I’m left to finish my quince tart alone. Not too bad a deal, now that I think about it .

Eating quince is a luxurious experience. While a lot like an apple, but bitter when raw, the fruit cooks down to a soft pear-like texture, with a beautiful, jammy, complex flavour. I cooked the quince in a sugar, using the contents of a chai tea bag, and ratafia for spice. I made this tart for me, after all. Sometimes, we need to remember to do things for ourselves. Especially labour-intensive things we would normally do for another only.