Munch Bunch: Ethiopian: Lentil Sambusa

Another month, another much bunch, another wonderful gathering of foodies to attempt, relish and then cherish

Theme: Ethiopian

I was introduced to Ethiopian food by a colleague then and now a dear friend about 8-9 years ago. She slaved in the kitchen for my roommate and me and made delicious vegetarian food and served coffee the true 'Ethiopian' style. Of course she being Ethiopian made our experience as authentic as possible.

Since that memorable sunny afternoon in LA, I have generally tried Ethiopian food every city I visit in the US. It has become one of those once a quarter cravings, got to go for Ethiopian.

In the last few years, Ethiopia has become a more personal country for me with family connections, stories and fond memories. So Ethiopia means more to me than the Injera and the Coffee. With that as a start, this theme was super special for me. It's one cuisine I love to eat and was so happy to attempt it.

Menu:

Appetizer: Lentil Sambussa

           Collard Greens

Main Course: Red Misser Wat

             Chicken Doro Wat

             Injera

Dessert:  Red velvet cake, nothing Ethiopian about it, but a friends birthday celebrations were so worth it!

Drinks: Fresh Ethiopian coffee, freshly roasted and ground and brewed.

Yup, that's how we roll.

I chose to make the appetizer: Lentil Sambusa: Two types, Beluga lentil and Puy lentil

Recipe:

Ingredients:

1.5 cups Beluga lentil soaked over night (Available at Mariano's / Whole food)

1.5 cups Puy lentils (Stocked at regular grocery stores)

Jalapeno: 4 finely diced

Onion: 1 finely diced

Garlic: 3 cloves finely diced

Cilantro: 1 cup finely chopped

Spices:-

Cardamom Seeds: Crushed coarsely 1 tsp

Cinnamon: 1/2 tsp

Salt: Per taste

Black Pepper: 1 tsp

For Frying:

Spring Roll Sheets: About 10 (Stocked at regular grocery stores)

Vegetable oil for frying

Process:

It is the same process for each type of lentil, so I will explain with the beluga lentil. Repeat for Puy lentil

1. Soak the lentils overnight.

2. Boil the lentils next morning until tender: About 20 minutes

3. Heat Olive oil and sauté the onion, garlic, jalapeno until translucent, about 5 minutes

4. Add spices, sauté: 2 minutes

5. Add the boiled and drained lentil and cook for about 10 minutes gently moving the mix

6. The beluga lentil is very soft, so be gentle

7. Taste and adjust seasoning.

8. Take off stove and let it cool. Add cilantro leaves

9. And now the joys: There is no way I can do justice to explain how to make sambusa: So here is a You tube video of how to 'prepare samosa' and use this as a guideline for wrapping and frying.

Of course using the spring roll sheets is so much easier and quicker

Just FYI- To fry both types of Sambusa's (Total 30), I took about an hour, so start some music and go for it!

Though we didn’t have complete attendance, it was a really fun gathering and a very interesting style of cooking. Just a couple of spices and an abundance of aroma's and flavors. I will definitely try my hand at a few more Ethiopian Dishes.

Mother of two girls... and?

----------------------------------------- In the beginning---------------------------------------------------

Garima: A mother

People: Wow, congratulations, must be busy and hard.

In my mind: No, its easy, well I don’t know any better, this is what it's supposed to be I guess!

Garima: A mother of one girl

People: Girls are so precious. Am sure she will give you sleepless nights when she gets to her teens

 In my mind: Uh, why? My brother and I both must have given a lot of sleepless nights in our teens. But yes I agree, Kids are precious and my Little V more so for me

----------------------------------------- A few years later---------------------------------------------------

Garima: A mother of two girls

People: Wait what? Wow.

Generally look at Sumit and say: Time to get the second job and bulk up. You need the muscles to ward off boys.

Generally look at Garima and say: Time for the boy, may be third time's the charm!!

In my mind: What!!

My two girls are perfect. When we planned for our second, it was since it felt right for our family(and of course increase chaos), we didn’t even find out what gender the baby will be- goes to show, we didn’t care: Boy or Girl! So yeah.

Please, my kids are perfect to me and family is complete. If we do have a third kid and if that kids a boy, great and if that kids a girl: even better, I have a load of hand me downs already.

Kids are expensive, yes we know that. Trust me! But that does not mean my darling husband needs a second job, trust me we thought it through before we went down this path of parenthood. And bulk up?? Seriously?

I don’t think my dad was peeling boys away from me when I was in my teens. Bulk or no bulk, I was just fine and so was my dad. And I think my girls and Sumit will be fine as well.

Now gist: Phew!

It's a natural thing to ask: Two kids, boys or girls?

And then I would assume it's a natural thing to say: Good for you, can I see pictures? Let me know when I can meet them?

And if you ask, drop them off and head out to the movies..... We LOVE it!

And then move on to the next topic.

Why does us having two girls give us collective gasps or even hearing double trouble! Seriously?

 We live in 21st century right? Let me check the date again! Yes we do. So please Butt Out

Pura Vida

There is no other way to describe it. I have been mulling on my keypad at how to start this post, but Bliss, Stress Free, Relaxed, Perfect, none of them apply. Pura Vida. Meaning  Pure Life.

That sums up our family trip to Costa Rica. This was one of those 'impromptu' plans, well sort of! Over facetime we spoke to cousins and were like, oh wow the girls have spring break together! What are the chances. I followed by, oh you guys are thinking of Costa Rica? Why Not?

Done Sealed. Two days later 6+1 infant plane tickets bought.

The relaxed nature of this planning also resulted in the relaxed nature of our trip. A friend of mine had a detailed post on her trip, another friend had made a trip a month ago. Done. So that was our starting point.

Costa Rica is one trip which needs detailed blogs per me. So, I am hoping to split this post into our highlights.

Here are our broad itinerary of the trip

Total : 10 days

Nuevo Arenal: 1 night

Arenal: 3 nights

Monte Verde: 2 nights

Guancaste: 3 nights

South Beach Miami: 1 night

We landed in Liberia and it was HOT as hell. 97 F hell. Coming from 25F of Chicago, this was a shock, a pleasant shock. Within 30 minutes of us landing we were in shorts, flip flops, hats, sun glasses. I was annoyed at myself for asking for AC after the Chicago Winter, but two sweaty kids and a cranky me= recipe for disaster.

After car rental, I heard a growl and realised its my stomach. We drove to a wonderful Tiki joint en route and had the local food: Casado

My daughter was amazed at my Spanish: No Huevo and No Carne! But the result was a super helpful cook who stopped by our table, understood our food preference and got the first delicious meal on the table.

I knew then, this will be one delicious trip!

The people in Costa Rica are just wonderful, smiling, helpful, kind and above all always willing to adjust and make you comfortable. This trip, we did the non-resorty experience. We wanted to get the cultural experience have the girls see local life, places and understand the subtle true living of other countries.

And trust me, thats what Pura Vida is all about..

The Break-Up

Stage 1: Shock

Stage 2: Hurt

Stage 3: Betrayal

Stage 4: Anger

Stage 5: Moving On

Stage 6: Happiness

Stage 7: Closure

When you are in college, you go through these stages with crushes, likes and the opposite sex in general. Sometimes you skip stages, sometimes you stay and mull in one for longer. But as age progresses, you think you get calmer, more refined to navigate the above stages. You know what is happening.

But sadly, no matter what the break up is- all stages apply!

I had a recent break up. Before the rumor mills start- It was with my nanny.

Stage 1: SHOCK: 'What you are leaving me?' I didnt see any signs, why? What am I going to do, No way? There is no notice.

Seriously?

Stage 2: HURT I have been blind. Of all people, you?  We have been together for so long, why so sudden? Ouch, what will I do?

Seriously?

Stage 3: BETRAYAL:  I never expected this. After all I did for you and your family. I touched you when NO ONE was. I trusted you, helped settle you, your family. Loaned you money, time and drove you around.  and you did this! No notice.

Seriously?

Stage 4: ANGER:  You dumped me, no I DUMP YOU. You are not worth it. Your 'type' will stay your type. ALWAYS. No matter how considerate I have been, you did this.

Seriously?

Stage 5: Moving On:  Hmm, What is, will be. It's fine. I still have me and my family. I put up with your SHIT for way too long. I should have let you go a long time ago. I am better off now. I am sure

Seriously!!!

Stage 6: HAPPINESS : Wow, its like a weight lifted off me. This feels awesome. Everything is perfect, I survived, got smarter and above all happier. There is more laughter and more fun and more cleanliness for sure. Why didnt I think of this before

Seriously!!!

Stage 7: CLOSURE: Oh man, I am awesome. My family is awesome. This is like a well-oiled machine and you had just slowed us down. I love the freedom and the laughter and the cleanliness. Good Bye. Thanks for nothing. Good Bye

Oh My god, I love this!

Seriously!!!

So yes, my nanny on the eve of my birthday 'dumped' me VERY unprofessionally. She didnt honor the one month notice period we had agreed on. She was not even going to tell me she is quitting. I guess being a girl, my 6th sense is super active and I asked her thrice and then she was forced to confess.

So it always has to be the perfect storm: Nanny dumps you. Husband is travelling, you are swamped with work, one of the kids is not well.

And then I realized you know what. Its all fine. Not fine-fine. But fine. And will only get better.

With my recent break-up I went through all the standard stages in 1 and a half days. Flat. And I have been happy since. Kids are laughing more, walking more, being more independent. At the same time, Sumit and I are more relaxed and laugh about those things that nanny didnt do. We did honestly put up with her for longer than we should have. No one likes change, and we didn’t either. Without this nanny, Its actually nice. And this time the real NICE NICE!

But yes, I am back in the market for a new one- I new more professional, more stable and definitely more active nanny. Suggestions??