Shopping and Authors, Herbs

I can't believe it, just gone 9:30 a.m. and we are home having completed our weekly shopping. Couldn't do it on our regular day, Thursday, 'cos its New Year's Eve of course. It was kind of a shopping and a half, same as last week, as it has to last a bit longer than usual. Still have to go back out as we have a prescription to collect and need some champagne (New Year's again). The store was virtually empty which is surprising as Matt had to pop down to that mall yesterday and the place was jam packed around 11 a.m. He did get gas for 63¢ yesterday which was great. So much for the doom and gloomers who said it would never come back down below the dollar again. I don't know how many read the comments on this blog, but I was sorry to hear that Sara Douglass, about whom I wrote yesterday, is seriously ill with ovarian cancer. I wondered why none of the information I was getting was up to date. I just found her "newsletter" of November and read all about it and her Rake Squad read here which is a support group. I wrote and wished her well, maybe some of you would like to do that too. I don't know what it is about Australians, but they seem to produce many Speculative Fiction writers, Sara being one. Glenda Larke and Karen Miller are both Australian in origin and both fantastic writers and every time I read their blogs, I hear of more and more SF writers from Oz. Must be something in the air. Tonight I am going to make the South Western Bean Salad which I posted yesterday. I couldn't get fresh cilantro so I am trying a new thing (to me anyway) a tube of chopped cilantro. It will have the flavour if not the decorative ability of the herb. I just checked their website Gourmet Garden and see they have a lot of different products. I will have to look out for them. I will try the cilantro today and let you know what we think tomorrow. Here is another recipe which uses cilantro and which is also a vegetarian dish for those who like to try different things or for those who like vegetarian foods anyway. I think I got this one from my recipe group, but am not totally sure. Aloo Chole - Potato & Chickpea Curry 250 g (9 oz) whole chick peas 2 Tbs butter ghee (clarified butter) 1 large onion, chopped 4 green chillies 1 dessertspoon tomato purée 1 dessertspoon tomato ketchup 6-8 small potatoes, peeled and boiled 4 firm tomatoes salt to taste 2 Tbs fresh coriander leaves, chopped For the MASALA: My Note: You can also by Masalas pre-made. Lot easier. 1 teaspoon cumin, ground 1 teaspoon chilli powder 1 teaspoon mango powder ½ teaspoon coriander, ground ½ teaspoon turmeric ¼ teaspoon black pepper, ground cloves, ground bay leaves ½ teaspoon pomegranate seeds, ground GARNISH fresh coriander leaves Soak the chick peas overnight to allow them to swell and soften. Drain and rinse well. In a 3.5 litre ( 6 pint) saucepan, boil at least 2 litres (3½ pints water. Add the chick peas and simmer until soft, about 45 minutes. Drain and set aside. Mix the masala ingredients with enough water to make a pourable paste. Heat the ghee in a karahi or wok. Add the masala and stir-fry for about a minute. Add the onion and the chillies, and continue to stir-fry for a further 3-4 minutes. Add the tomato purée and ketchup, the potatoes and tomatoes, and, when well mixed in, add the chick peas. Stir carefully until everything is hot; salt to taste, garnish and serve hot or cold. ** A quicker alternative is to use a can of pre-cooked chick peas. If you are serving the Chole cold, it is not necessary to heat the canned chick peas when adding to the vegetable mixture** Servings: 4 Have a great day.