Recipe of the Month: Spinach Masala Pongal

Pongal is one of my all-time favourite comfort foods. It is the South-Indian cousin of the well-known Khichri/Khichdi which is popular throughout North India and Pakistan. 

This humble dish of pressure cooked lentils and rice with subtle spices and fried cashew nuts is not only flavourful but hearty and balanced too. Aside from rice, you can make it with poha (beaten rice flakes) or even millets. Not counting the days when I'm sick, I can devour bowlfuls of this golden-yellow hued dish topped with homemade ghee on any given day. My mum knows all too well my hankering for pongal so she makes it a point to make it for me whenever I'm in Mysore. My husband on the other hand, isn't as much of a fan so the occasions where I made pongal at home in Singapore had started to become few and far between.

My mum passed me a neatly handwritten recipe for this Spinach Masala Pongal a long time ago. It was so long ago that I didn't even remember that it existed. I was rummaging through my cookbooks one day, and came across the recipe. I thought why not give it a go and tested it out that very night. Out of habit, I changed the recipe to suit my own preferences. The original recipe called for sliced eggplants and garam masala which I thought were weird additions so I skipped both. I also decided to incorporate some coconut milk for added flavour. I wasn't expecting to get much of a reaction from my husband for this dish so I was shocked when he came back for seconds and even asked me to make it again. Since then, this Spinach Masala Pongal has featured as a staple on our weekday dinner menu. I even pack it in our lunchboxes to take to work. He likes it with garlic pickle but I prefer it as it is.  

During the first trimester of my twin pregnancy when I had a lot of food aversions and was retching a fair bit, this was the one dish that I could wolf down without any problems. I made it a ridiculous number of times back then. 

I made it for my in-laws last month in Singapore and then made it again for my parents and cousin at home in Mysore a few days ago and it got an all-round big thumbs up 😊

The cover photo isn't great but don't judge the recipe by its cover (tee...hee). This is a really yummy one-pot meal so I hope you make it for your family and friends. Who knows, it might make a regular appearance on your lunch/dinner menu too.

Baker's Corner: Mini Jammy Cakes

After what seems like eternity, I am in India. Hooray! I'm introducing my little ones to my hometown, to the house I grew up in, to my friends and family, to our culture and traditions and to everything that makes me look forward to going back home 😊 The tots were a dream on the flight from Singapore to Bangalore and were equally good on the drive to Mysore which took place immediately after. Not a peep out of either of them throughout the long journey. I must thank my lucky stars✌😅 

In the coming weeks, they have quite a number of things lined up - their cradle ceremony, getting their ears pierced, their naming ceremony and their uncle's wedding. It is going to be an eventful first holiday for them as it is going to involve considerable travel and meeting a lot of new faces. I hope it doesn't upset their routine too much *fingers crossed*

It was hubby's birthday last month and as preoccupied as I was with the girls, I still wanted to bake him a cake. I didn't have much time to browse through my numerous cookbooks so I grabbed the first book I laid my eyes on and settled on a recipe that looked easy to make. It was a recipe for these Mini Jammy Cakes. I'd never made mini cakes before so I thought I'd give it a go. 

From start to finish, the whole process took less than an hour and the cakes themselves were quite good. I reduced the quantity of sugar in the recipe since my in-laws were around (they prefer their desserts mildly sweet) so they were able to enjoy it too. The recipe calls for ground mixed spice and since I didn't have any ready made spice mix with me, I made my own using cinnamon powder, nutmeg powder, ground cardamom and cloves. From what information I found online, cardamom is not typically found in ground mixed spice but I heavily recommend that you use it because it gives that lovely perfume to the cakes. But then again, not many people are crazy about the flavour of cardamom in their desserts so it's your call. This is a great dessert to whip up for tea time or when you have guests coming over.

I'll probably feature one of my mum's and MIL's signature dishes in the coming weeks while I am still here so keep a look out for that.

Hope you try this recipe folks
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A Tale of Two Babies

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The natural state of motherhood is unselfishness. When you become a mother, you are no longer the center of your own universe. You relinquish that position to your children.

- Jessica Lange

I wanted to do a post on motherhood but as you can see, it has taken me a while to do that.

My fraternal twin girls arrived on November 10th 2014 and since then, life has been nothing short of a crazy roller-coaster ride. Each day has been a constant cycle of feeding, burping, changing diapers, playtime and naps. Looking after two babies at the same time is a round-the-clock job and I never imagined that I would get any time to myself in the near future. But turns out that my daughters (who are nearly 5 months old) are not terribly difficult to care for and as long as my husband and I stick to their well-established routine - they fill up their tummies, look forward to playtime, interact with us, enjoy their baths, sleep well and are seldom cranky. So far so good. I fervently hope things stay the same.

Remembering a legend - RIP Lee Kuan Yew

Image Source: Painting by Mai Huy Dung

“You begin your journey not knowing where it will take you 

you have plans

you have dreams 

but every now and again you have to take uncharted roads 

face impassable mountains 

cross treacherous rivers 

be blocked by landslides and earthquakes. 

That’s the way my life has been.”

- Lee Kuan Yew

Mr Lee Kuan Yew (1923 - 2015), the founding Prime Minister of Singapore spearheaded the transformation of the island nation from a small trading port to the thriving metropolis it is today. He made an impossible dream a reality. Along with his colleagues, he built a nation for over five decades which will remain as his lasting legacy.

Lee Kuan Yew was highly instrumental in shaping Singapore from the time he and his socialist party, the People's Action Party (PAP) rallied for self-government in the 1950's to their pursuit for a merger with the Federation of Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak to form the new nation Malaysia in the early 1960s. After independence was reluctantly thrust upon Singapore on August 9th 1965, there ensued a formidable struggle for the country's survival. PM Lee believed in a unified Malaysia and a multiracial society and famously wept on national television when Singapore was separated from Malaysia. 

Daunting as it was to rebuild the city-state, he clung on to the motto "Never fear" and led a generation of Singaporeans to overcome the herculean challenges that came their way. He fought relentlessly against corruption, instituted meritocracy and prompted policies such as public housing, home-ownership, racial integration and adopted English as a common language. Under his able leadership, from the ashes of separation emerged a prosperous island nation. 

PM Lee holds the distinction of being the only leader in history to bring an entire country from third-world to first-world status in a single generation. By doing so, he planted the 'Little Red Dot' firmly on the world map. For a tiny island like Singapore with its small population, limited space and lack of natural resources, this has been an extraordinary achievement. 

However, PM Lee's years in office were not without controversy, mostly regarding his iron-clad grip over the country, repressive measures to instil order, curtailing freedom of speech and unapologetic stance in demolishing his political adversaries. Yet, he will be regarded as a one-of-a-kind, respected and admired individual for generations to come. He will go down in history books as a dynamic leader, an inspirational figure and a hugely accomplished politician.

Having lived in Singapore for close to a decade, I am no stranger to Mr Lee Kuan Yew's contribution towards nation-building. I was able to gain a comprehensive understanding after reading his remarkable autobiography, The Singapore Story. He has played a pivotal role in making Singapore a clean, green harmonious, prosperous and safe country to live in. It has been the quality of life here that converted us from expats to residents back in 2007. There are very few places in the world where I would even consider venturing out alone past midnight (which I have done on several occasions in the past). Singapore to me is my second home and when the day comes to pack my bags for good, I will leave with a heavy heart. This country has given me more than I could ever ask for and in a way, I am indebted to Mr Lee Kuan Yew for that. I was deeply saddened by the news of Mr Lee's demise yesterday and I would like to offer my profound condolences to PM Lee Hsien Loong and his family. 

RIP Mr Lee Kuan Yew. Thank you for making Singapore such a global success story. Your place in history as an exemplary leader, radical thinker and visionary is assured. As Singapore gears up to celebrate its 50th birthday this August, your presence will be sorely missed.

"A great leader's courage to fulfill his vision comes from passion and not position"

-John Maxwell

Cheers,

Megha


Suggested reading:
The Straits Times 24-page special edition to mark the life and times of Mr Lee Kuan Yew