Sunday, May 17, 2009

Sunday Update

'Salina has not been diagnosed with Whooping Cough!!! Hooray.

Of course, she hasn't been diagnosed with anything, as apparently doctors offices are far to busy to ring you with results to put you out of your misery and so far prefer to waste their time answering your numerous phone calls to get updates as test results become available.

Of course, if she WAS positive, I have to rely that they will be alert enough to get the doctor to tick the box to say he would like to talk to me about results and therefore call me.

At the time of the last phone call, half of the results were in and negative, and as I haven't received any calls I am assuming that she is not Whooping Cough Mary and can be sent back to school and not infect others by Monday.


I would personally like to give thanks to Dr Antibiotics for inventing such marvellous drugs, because although she apparently does not have the illness that caused the doctor to prescribe them, they (or time or steam or whatever) have fairly well taken the coughing fits and banged them firmly on the head.

We are down to polite coughing fits at wake-up, dusk and bedtime, but compared to the lung-splitting attacks she was having they are but blips.


I cooked an amazing Indian Feast last night - thought about it on Friday returning from work and the salivation in anticipation of the pastry on the entrees, the sauces and side-dishes with curry, the smells, the tastes.

Firstly I made Samosas. I found a great recipe through Chef Google at Coconut Chutney - except I tweaked a bit!!

I used her Mint Raita (which I will reprint here, as she seems to have disappeared from the blogosphere and I live in fear of the blog disappearing at some point - and this recipe shouldn't disappear!!) She did start a new blog at coconutchutney.org but hasn't posted since 2007 - the mysteries of the internet... Anyhow.

Mint Raita
Recipe:

Blend 1 cup plain yogurt with chopped mint leaves (3/4 cup), chopped onion(1/4 cup) and salt to taste. Refrigerate and serve cold with the samosas.


Her Samosa recipe:
Samosas
Recipe:

For the pastry - Flour(3/4 cup), Semolina(1/4 cup -fine ground), a pinch of salt and Baking Powder (1/4 tsp.) are sifted together. Cut in Butter (2 Tbsp.) with a pastry blender and knead adding few drops of cold water to form a flexible dough. Cover with a damp cloth and keep aside.

For the filling - Heat oil and add finely-chopped ginger(1 inch), green chillies(2), turmeric(1/2 tsp),cumin powder(1/2 tsp) and red chilli powder(1 tsp). Add peeled and chopped potatoes(2). Add salt to taste and cook till the potatoes are done. Take off the heat, mash the potatoes and add 1/2 tsp. fresh lime juice.

Roll out the lemon-sized balls of the pastry, cut into semi-circles and make a cone, place the filling inside and crimp the edges to form a triangle shaped samosa. Make sure that the filling doesn't spill out of the pastry. Heat oil and deep-fry the samosas till golden brown. Serve hot or cold.


I doubled the pastry, didn't have semolina so just used all plain flour. I didn't have ginger on hand (I know - gasp), didn't use chillies (wanted 'Salina to eat something), used only 1 potato but added 1 sweet potato, 1/6 pumpkin, 1/2 cup peas instead and a little water. Used lemon instead of lime. They were (and still are - had some for breakfast) divine.

For the curries, I made my palak paneer and Lamb Rogan Josh - except I halved the quantities and by the time I got around to making it, I didn't have 4 hours so used the oven on low - oh, and I used the bits of the side of lamb I didn't recognize and meatied it up with some cut price chops as they were mainly bone.

With brown rice, some chillies V minced and a tomato/onion/coriander raita the feast was fan-tas-tic!!

'Salina wasn't as keen, but the samosas were a smash, the rice was okay and the meat was nice but "spicy".


Today will be spent planting some seedlings I bought yesterday plus creating a few more and possibly harvesting the grass seed mowing.

So, how is your Sunday?

10 comments:

Maude Lynn said...

Now, I'm salivating!

Glad you can assume it's not Whooping Cough!

Mistress B said...

very glad it's not whooping cough.

tiff(threeringcircus) said...

Very glad to hear it's not whooping cough.

BB said...

I think I am glad that you think that it is PROBABLY not whooping cough that your daughter has suffered with.

I know I am NOT GLAD however, that the medical wisdom we trust our collective health to seems to bumble about shockingly when it comes to identifying, treating and generally protecting the community FROM whooping cough. It defies belief. What if she HAD had pertussis? Would we still be waiting for results?

Bah. Humbug.

And nice indian recipe BTW. I'll appreciated it better once I climb down off this soapbox!!
BB

ELIZABETH said...

Only halfway through and so far...with hubby out at a car show, I finished a book, I've opened windows to let in the clean spring air. Hung winter coats out on the line, washed towels, moved an indoor plant outdoors, had lunch and now I sit in front of the computer drinking coffee and typing this in.
Dinner planned, will do some dusting and and start another novel.
Grand day.
Glad health is returning to your household.

Widdle Shamrock said...

Yum, yum, yum. I must make a point of coming her around dinner time. You have some great recipes.

So glad it isn't whooping cough and glad things are picking up.

Had a lovely Sunday here.

Alison said...

So glad to hear 'Salina is feeling better!

Jayne said...

Glad to hear Miz 'Salina is getting better and Pertussis hasn't taken up residence in your home.

Melody said...

*phew* Hope 'Salina is beginning to feel a lot better - and you can all sleep easy at night.

Love a good indian feast. It all sounds delicious!

Rootietoot said...

mmm yum. Im going to try these.