Operation Drive 5...

Today I can confidently declare to the universe, "I CAN DRIVE". My resolve to learn driving before BB came back has finally paid off, I managed to drive to the airport (horrendous traffic not withstanding), pick up BB and drive back too !!!

The fact that I'm pleased as punch is evident with the grin that is plastered on my face since I've returned from the airport (the Kindle Fire that BB gifted me also added to the glee), but the satisfaction that I'm driving while BB is sat in the passenger seat...is something that I've wanted to achieve for a looooong time now. 

I'm sure that the euphoria I'm experiencing right now is the kind that the winners of awards feel. As every award acceptance is incomplete without listing out the names of the people who deserve credit for the award, I shall publish my own credit list...

First and foremost the person who deserves credit for this achievement is BB himself, its thanks to his reluctance to drive me around that drove me (pun unintended) to learn driving...

Second, I would like to thank my driving guru, Uncle D, who instilled the confidence in me that I could drive. Never once did he doubt my driving skills and would just say, "Thoda traffic mein chalenga na, toh tum seekh jaayega, darneka nahi, tum apna line pakadke chalo, woh apna line pakad ke chalega!". When driving if I told him, 'This place is tricky, please take over', Uncle D, would just wave his hand dismissively and say, "Arre chalo, kuch nahi hota!!". The man had nerves of STEEL and the patience of a SAINT, honestly, if I were teaching me how to drive, I would have beaten me black and blue by now.

Third I would like to thank Div, my first passenger, OK, Uncle D was sat next to me while I drove her to Marve beach, but still it mattered to me that she trusted me enough to put her life on the line travelling in a car driven by me.

Last but not the least, I would like to thank L Akka, if she had not consented to sit next to me while I drove to the airport today, I doubt I would have been able to pull it off. She sat next to me absolutely cool as a cucumber and kept me cool by giving out pearls of advice, "Drive slowly", "There is no hurry", "Don't bother about the honking, you concentrate on your driving". In no time we had arrived at the airport... the hand brake being in the "ON" position not-withstanding. I drove close to 8 kms with the hand brake on, L Akka did point it out to me, "Isska position aise hi hota hai kya?", In my defence I would like to state that I misunderstood that she was referring to the gearbox and said, "Haan yeh idhar hi hota hai" for she drives an automatic in the US and never in my dream did I think she was talking about the hand brake. It was BB who pointed it out to me the minute he stepped in to the car!!!, It was then that it dawned on me that this was the reason I could not speed up the car, no matter what I did!!!

All in all it was an experience in itself and I wouldn't change anything about it!!! 

Happy Diwali

Happy Diwali to all my readers, may the Festival of Lights bring you health,happiness and prosperity!!

100th Post...

My 100th post of the year, a tribute to the year that has seen a sea change in me, leaving you with a bit from the song Breakaway by Kelly Clarkson...Enjoy!!!

I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly

I'll do what it takes till I touch the sky

And I'll make a wish, take a chance, make a change

And breakaway

Out of the darkness and into the sun

But I won't forget all the ones that I loved

I'll take a risk, take a chance, make a change

And breakaway...

Seafood Aglio Olio...

This is my version of Seafood Aglio Olio, for the original recipe follow the link...

I've made a number of changes depending on the items available in my fridge...

Ingredients

Spicy Prawns:

7 medium sized prawns, peeled and deveined

1/2 lemon, juiced

a few sprigs of corriander chopped

1 teaspoon crushed  red chillies (I used normal Kashmiri Chillies and blitzed it in the grinder, to make flakes)

4 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled

Salt to taste

Extra-virgin olive oil

Aglio Olio:

Extra-virgin olive oil

4 large cloves garlic, crushed and minced

Red pepper flakes

2 tbsp finely chopped corriander

Salt to taste

Spaghetti, cooked to al dente

Directions:

• Combine prawns with next 5 ingredients and toss to coat prawns evenly.
•  Heat a large pan fry the olive oil and and then add the prawns and cook till done.
• Return pan to heat and reduce heat to medium low. Add the extra-virgin olive oil. 
• Add garlic, and pepper flakes to the oil.
• Next add the chopped coriander leaves
• Toss spaghetti in the pan with the garlic oil, then season with a little salt, to your taste.
•  A a little water and toss the spaghetti well.
•  Top servings of garlic and oil spaghetti with spicy prawns.

Take That...

With age I guess I've become wiser and what surprises me is the fact that things that used to bother me in the past...just don't any more...Nirvana. Earlier situations that had me tongue tied have me making witty one liners about them. Its just that I've figure it drives people mental when I just agree with whatever nonsense they are saying when they are expecting a hurt look or a caustic repartee from me. It may sound cruel but I like to watch them squirm uncomfortably when I make a joke out of what was intended as a sarcastic jab at me.

While what I'm about to recount is not in the lines of what has been mentioned above, it comes close to it and is usually thrown at me by well meaning aunties and uncles.... you know what I'm driving at... yes, my unmarried status is something that people just can't digest. The way people go about it, is as if it is of national importance that I get married asap... or else... 

I figure the best way to silence these people is to say, "Yes auntie, sure I'll get married, please let me know if you know anyone!" and then follow up with them (I haven't reached the level of shamelessness to follow up, but I promise you, I'll get there...soon). After that there is a deafening silence from their end and people avoid you like plague and when you see them in the street they suddenly remember that they forgot something somewhere and turn around to go get it... just to avoid having to make small talk with you. Honestly, if only I had thought of this modus operandi earlier in life, I would have reached this Nirvana state much earlier...

The latest in the line of such encounters happened this evening when I ran into an auntie who lives in the next building. After the normal "hello beta, how are you doing?" she went onto the pet topic of aunties, "I  missed your sister's wedding as I was out of town, since I'm in town now I hope you get married soon so I can attend it!".

In the past if this happened I would have given the auntie a beatific smile and left it at it, and she would go on to the "Its OK beta, you will get married soon, its just not your time, but soon it will happen", and all I want to do is scream, "Do I look depressed to you, you MORON, I'm perfectly happy, or is it my happiness that you can't stand ???', but I would continue with the demure smile through the episode... but not now... now I'm a woman on a mission...

I replied "Yes Auntie, I pray that I get married soon so you can attend it while you're STILL AROUND". The look on the auntie's face was priceless... its confirmed, I've crossed over, I'm EVIL now...

Worst Meals

We had a team lunch today and somehow the discussion went onto the topic of the worst food/ culinary experiences we have faced.

The first one to share her experience was Z, it relates to the time she was just learning how to cook. One day after labouring in the kitchen for hours, she presented the burnt hideous looking mess to her parents for tasting.

She asked her dad, "Do you think I need to put anything else, to enhance the taste?". 

Her Dad replied, "I think you should put this dish in the dustbin, where it belongs!"

The next one pertains to my cousin, at that time she was newly married and had invited us to visit her at her new home. We arrived and after the grand tour of her beautiful home, she said, she had a treat for us as she had personally baked a Bread Pudding. We trooped into the kitchen and to be honest the pudding looked so inviting, that all of us literally fought for the biggest piece. My brother got the biggest piece and was gloating over his windfall... that is until the first spoonful went into his mouth. The expression on his face was priceless, If only I had a camera and could capture the expression on his face. Bread Pudding as we all know is made with bread, eggs, milk and vanilla essence. I think she forgot the vanilla essence, for the pudding tasted only of runny eggs and an eggy taste in anything can kill your hunger pangs in less than a few milliseconds. How we shoved the pudding down our throats can actually provide fodder for another post. After that all invitations for dinner/ lunch at her place were politely shot down for a few years.

The final one was again shared by Z, it relates to her aunt, who is the worst cook imaginable (I'm wondering if the bad cook streak runs in the family), and when she cooks non-vegetarian food, it is safest to declare "Oh, too bad, I'm so sorry, but I'm vegetarian today" or better still "I'm fasting". Hehe, the perks of being a Hindu and having 33 crore gods to choose from, you can pick any day to fast or  be a vegetarian. 

Anyway I digress, So one day they were at her aunt's place and she served a very dodgy looking and a 1000 times worse tasting fish. They nibbled at it for a while and her sister decided that some action needs to be taken. She asked her aunt if she could have some salt and the minute her aunt had left the room to fetch the Salt Shaker from the kitchen, she picked the fish and flung it straight out the OPEN WINDOW. When asked later "What if the fish had hit a passerby?" she replied that she found the idea of facing an irate passerby hit by the flying fish far more tolerable than forcing that monstrosity on her taste buds.