He says it’s a Girl and I feel it’s a Boy.

Although it really dose’nt matter to both of us. All that matters is to have a healthy and happy baby. Our friends have betted on the gender too. Every one is waiting anxiously for the results. Maa, had called yesterday night and I could feel how excited she was. She had miscalculated the date and thought we already knew. Oh! how I wish they all could be here today.

The question remains…..

Is It a Girl ??????? 

or

Is It a Boy ??????????

Keeping our fingers crossed.

The baby is now around 4.5 inches long from head to rump. It’s about the size of an avocado.

Ingredients:

• Mushoor Dal/ Red Lentils (whole) – 2 cups
• Red Onions – 1 small
• Spinach (Palong Saag) – A bunch (Cut medium pieces)
• Ripe Tomatoes – 0.5 (Diced small pieces)
• Red Chilly Powder – 0.5 tsp (optional)
• Cinnamon Powder – pinch
• Clove Powder – pinch
• Whole Zeera (Cumin) – 0.5 tsp
• Whole Sukno Lanka (Red Chilly) – 1 whole split in two pieces
• Whole Cardammon ( 1pc), Clove (4 pc), 1 Cinnamon stick
• Turmeric – 0.5 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Oil – 1.5 tbsp
• Butter – 1 tsp (optional, for added flavour)

Directions:

• Soak lentils for about an hour so that they puff and soften. Drain water and keep aside.
• Heat oil in a shallow pan or kadai and add whole red chillies, garam masala and zeera. Let them brown and splatter.
• Add onions and fry slightly.
• Add soaked lentils, salt and turmeric and fry for 5 -6 minutes.
• Add small amount of water and drop in the spinach, tomatoes along with the red chilly powder, clove and cinammon powder.
• Cover the pan with a lid and boil until spinach cooks. Add butter for added flavour.

Your Spinach Dal is ready to be served. Enjoy it with Rice, Roti or eat it like a soup.

Dida’s recipe was quite different from what I ended up making yesterday. I tried to keep it easy and as simple as possible. Try it out someday when you are too tired to cook and have a severe craving for ‘Alu Dum.’

Ingredients:

• Small White Potatoes – 1.5 pounds
• Ripe Tomatoes, diced into small pieces - 2 medium
• Red Onions sliced thinly - 1 small
• Green Chillies cut in small pieces - 5 (or according to taste)
• Turmeric – 0.5 tsp
• Aamchur Powder – 1 tsp (Can be substituted by Lime juice, lemon juice or tamarind pulp where the addition of a wet ingredient will not change the consistency of the dish.)
• Salt – to taste
• Sugar – to taste
• Clove Powder: quater tsp
• Cinnamon Powder: quater tsp
• Black pepper powder : 1 tsp (according to taste)
• Oil – 4 tbsp

Directions:

• Wash the potatoes with cold water and pressure cook them with slightly salted water until they are cooked. They should be partially firm and not overcooked.
• Peel the potatoes and keep aside.
• In a pan heat oil and fry potatoes until slightly brown. Add a pinch of salt while frying.
• Add thinly sliced onions and fry until the onions are slightly brown.
• Add diced tomaotes, green chillies, turmeric powder, salt, sugar, aamchoor, clove, cinnamon and black pepper powder.
• Cover and fry until oil releases and the tomatoes are tender.

Serve the alu dum with white rice or rotis.

“As far as the flutter is concerned If it fluttered like a butterfly .. then it’s a girl .. If like a bee .. then it’s a boy After all it’s all about birds, bees and butterflies. How I wish I could have felt the same ” – Bis

This is exciting, I felt a slight flutter in my tummy this afternoon. E-mailed Bis immediately and heard back from him with this wonderful thought . I am waiting for that day when we both can feel the baby’s movement. What a magical moment that would be.

Our Gift from God

Something in my heart told me this might be it. I struggled in my thoughts whether to take the test or not. I was scared of the dejected feeling of getting a negative result. Finally, I gathered all my courage and decided to go for it. Bang…. there it was, a feeling of utter shock, like lightning. I found myself on the bathroom floor crying and shaking. I have never felt so shocked and happy at the same time. I could see two lines this time and I could hardly believe my eyes.

I couldn’t wait to break this news to Pupu. I knew he would be shocked and extremely elated. I called him and told him about the test. I could feel the excitement in his voice, but as overly protective he is of my feelings, he told me not to be sure and asked me to call the doctor for an appointment. He came home in few minutes and made me take few more tests in the following hours. I could feel the excitement in him, he was so happy and confused, trying his best to hide his excitement from me all the time. I went to the doctor’s and Mecca (the nurse) suggested me to take a blood test. She said she would get back to me early next day.

Evening — Never ending, the hours went by slowly. We waited impatiently for the next morning. I kept praying in my heart and I know Pupu did the same too. Isha and Sanjay tried their best to boost up our spirits. Raja came in and helped us with the packing. A sleepless night followed with a positive hope for the morning.

March 6th:

“Life is magic, the way nature works seems to be quite magical.”

9:00 AM — Waiting for Mecca to call with the report.
9:15 AM — More waiting and no calls. Pupu was excited as pacing the living room and behaving funny. He tried his best to cope with the tension and so did I, always praying in my heart.
9:45 AM — Finally, we decided to leave to sign the lease for the new apartment. And, then there it was… We heard the phone ring. I picked up the phone and there she was breaking the news of ‘Joy’ — She confirms we are expecting.

The joy was unbelievable. I still can’t express what we had exactly felt at that very moment.

I believe now that — “Life is magic, the way nature works seems to be quite magical.”

The bedroom needs to be redecorated. I am looking for new art for the wall, maybe some new ideas and vibrant colors. Something which will take us away from the dullness of the outside world. How similar we both are… we need change all the time. It’s a lot of hard work and planning to decorate and then how quickly we get used to things and get bored eventually. I think weather is the culprit this time. The air outside is chilly and crisp. One look outside my office window depresses me to the core. How much I look forward to go home

Still trying to figure out a theme for my blog. I kind of like this green theme but think it’s a little too dark for a blog. Have to search for some more themes tonight.

I just hope this is not a phase. I really want to continue doing this.

Obama mania continues. Everyone at work is talking about his future plans and the new anticipated government. Some of my collegues asked me about O’s outsourcing plans and how his plan of not going after offshoring would affect India. I hear he has promised to put efforts to increase the number of H1 visas. With recession looming large over the US economy and the resulting rise in unemployment, I just hope he keeps up his promise.

I am looking forward to our vacation. LA and SanDiego will be fun.

Enough for today….. later

Sometimes I really do think if I am a Food Junkie, a Foodie, or a Food Fanatic…….
My constant passion for food sometimes lands me into great success and at times into utter disasters. I love eating and feeding people, I love new recipes and new ideas. Just as a good student will have immense thirst for knowledge, I have the urge to learn about food, new and old; known and unknown. I cannot call myself words like, “epicure” or “gourmet”; they donot quite match with my personality. Sounds real snobbish and unimaginative. I am not the kind of food lover who would walk into a restaurant, looking at what the menu offers. I am a very adventurous food lover, a real à la carte type.

I call myself a food-o-holic. I love to eat, smell, feel, even dream about food. It gives me immense pleasure and satisfaction when I try any new recipe at home, a nice dish at a restaurant or even watch the food chanel, where my favourite cook creates a new dish. The overall idea of anything related to food makes me happy and contended.

Although I never could express myself very appropriately in writing, I will try my best not to sound ignorant or foolish.
The idea of sending my unedited thoughts, feelings, and emotions out into cyberspace did not quite appeal to me. To be true it does make me feel a little insecured. I expect everything that flows from my fingers should be profound and perfect. But I am no writer. So here I start….. Lets Blog!!!