Life Tapestry.

Life Tapestries | Intentional Living, Faith, & Creative Reflection

Tag: food

  • Food- my specialty

    What food would you say is your specialty?

    Though I don’t consider myself a specialist in cooking, I am definitely more of a foodie who loves indulging in scrumptious dishes. However, there’s one dish I’m particularly proud of—my Dry Chilly Chicken. The recipe is quite simple, using local ingredients like Sirarakhong hathei (a local red chilly), garlic, salt, fermented bamboo shoot water, chicken, and rice bran oil. That’s it! To elevate the flavors, I top it off with fresh local herbs. It’s a dish that truly brings out the best of these simple ingredients.

  • Spicy fried chicken

    Daily writing prompt
    What’s your favorite thing to cook?
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    One of my favorite dishes to cook is spicy fried chicken with local chili powder and salt. Occasionally, I enhance the taste with garlic and ginger paste. Here’s how I usually prepare it:

    1. Begin by boiling the chicken for about half an hour with a dash of salt and some herbs like basil, spring onion leaves, and chives roots.
    2. After boiling, separate the fleshy and bony parts. The fleshy parts can be set aside for further cooking.
    3. For the bony parts, add a bit more salt to taste and continue cooking. Alternatively, you can fry them together with the flesh. However, I prefer boiling to create a flavorful gravy that I can enjoy.
    4. Now, for the remaining fleshy part, heat and fry it with chili flakes and garlic-ginger paste. You can opt to fry it with just salt and chili as well.

    This simple recipe allows for variations in the level of spiciness and the use of herbs for added flavor. Enjoy your spicy fried chicken!

  • That one not-so-funny jokes road trip

    Bloganuary writing prompt
    Think back on your most memorable road trip.
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    I have embarked on numerous road trips, primarily due to work commitments. Many times, I found myself relishing the journey more than the final destination. There are specific journeys that I’ve deemed worthy of preserving in my cloud for future reference. One such memorable journey involved two work colleagues and me, accompanied by one of my colleague’s uncles. Although it was a relatively short trip, lasting about an hour and a half, the late evening journey offered a much-needed respite.

    During our journey, we didn’t engage in extraordinary activities. The sole constant was the tape recorder, seamlessly transitioning between local pop, classical, Bollywood, English, Bengali music, and Manipuri. Lost in our individual worlds, we absorbed every nuance of the sunset views amidst the bustling highway traffic. We marveled at the backdrop, ranging from mountains and valleys to clouds, factories, and the vibrant life of bustling cities.

    Amidst the journey’s hustle, there were sporadic bursts of laughter, sparked by the only man in the car, who also happened to be the owner of the car, injecting some color with his not-so-funny jokes LOL. Although the journey seemed short, we reached our destination in no time. Nevertheless, I relished every moment, as it provided a brief escape from the hectic life of a 21st-century working woman. Upon reaching our destination, we unwound with delectable street food, cherishing the night after enduring weeks and months of hectic schedules.

  • What I eat …

    Daily writing prompt
    What snack would you eat right now?
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    I usually avoid snacks or fruits and prefer sustaining myself throughout the day with water and substantial meals, including breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It’s a habit of mine to enjoy meals comprising rice paired with either vegetable or non-vegetarian curries. Occasionally, I do indulge in cravings, especially for sinju, a Manipuri mixed vegetable salad with fermented fish, or some occasional treats like chips or churros. However, I am a big fan of chicken-based dishes, particularly those from popular establishments like KFC and Chicking.

    So, right now I would not like to eat anything, Or may be I may like to eat some sinju if my friends are with me. Else I don’t crave for anything right now.

  • What Christmas is to me!

    Today is the 23rd of December, and 18-20 years ago, my siblings and I were filled with excitement as Christmas approached. It was a time when we could celebrate at home with our parents, indulge in delicious food, and adorn ourselves in new dresses. The festivities included eagerly anticipated afternoon games where we received prizes and the frequent treat of Gur Chini (jaggery) every few hours.

    Our parents, however, were seldom present at the community ground festivities. My mom was occupied with church and community work, while my dad had his own responsibilities, making appearances during the celebration quite rare. We found solace with our second and third aunt (yet third Aunt won’t be there this year at the community ground, as she is in a better place now), who took care of us, treated us to local delicacies like Sinju, and occasionally bought special treats from the shop.

    Despite not having the opportunity to wear fancy dresses or join our friends, the bond between my sisters and me strengthened. I took on the role of the big sister, responsible for their well-being in the absence of our parents. Occasionally, our peer groups would ridicule us for not being part of the larger group or not dressing as smartly. This, along with mom’s peculiar restrictions, further distanced us from our peers.

    This Christmas tradition continued until I started my degree studies. Since then, my participation in the festivities dwindled due to exams, short holidays requiring expense savings, and later commitments in the workplace. Initially, I didn’t mind being away during Christmas, but as time passed, I started feeling homesick and longed to be with my family.

    This year, being far from home, I anticipate spending most of my time inside the four walls of my room. My prayer is that, regardless of our locations, we will welcome Christ into our hearts and let His presence dwell within us. May we learn to submit to His care and be instruments of His love, no matter the circumstances. I extend warm wishes to everyone for a Merry Christmas.