Angie's Antics

Mmmm, this looks interesting...

While "helping" me garden yesterday, Angie suddenly discovered she was a Labrador and that she loves water. Until now she has not shown any interest in water.

A little muddy snorkelling could be fun

Up to my "elbows" in mud!

In fact, at Christmas time, when I placed her in the children’s swimming pool, she promptly jumped out, shook herself and ran away. Yet, here she was lapping up the stream of water from the hose, snuffling and digging in the mud around the tree stems. Minutes later she dashed across the lawn, around the pepper tree, and again, then back to the mud she went.

A mud bath sure makes me engergetic

I'm so fast I'm a blur!

Back for some more vitamins and minerals

For a brief moment I thought this might encourage bad habits and that she'd learn to dig up my shrubs while they were being watered. Then I mentally shook myself. My garden is totally child- and pet friendly. My grandchildren ride their plastic scooters around the garden and are free to run, play ball, tussle with the dogs, tumble with the cats and pick flowers as long as they’re not destructive. Dogs, cats, snakes, frogs, a multitude of birds and creepy crawlies are welcome in my garden.

So in between laughing at Angie's antics, and being muddied by an exuberant canine, I pointed my camera and snapped away...

Oooh I love mud and I love my mum!

Er, muddy paws and mum's shorts...

Sorry about that!

I'm the King of the Castle! A quick dive into the pond and
I'll be spotless!

Time to smell the water lilies

I'm puffed! I'll just rest in this flowerbed

Now I need a little nap

The picture of innocence

Pop's Burn-down-the-Barn Curry

Naan bread which I made according to an authentic Indian recipe

Delicious vegetable curry with the sambles served seperately

My husband, who normally works away in West Africa, has been home for four months. It has been such a blessing for us to be together for such a long uninterrupted period, and of course, with a practical man around, there is not a broken or tatty thing in the house or garden. Window latches, hitherto swinging on snapped arms, broken cupboard door locks, blown light bulbs, sagging towel rails and much more have all been repaired, replaced or renovated.

Not only is my darling hubby a very handy handyman ;) he is also an innovative cook. (See Hash’s Homemade Hamburger Patties and Crumbed Camembert). Three evenings a week, while I’m at spinning or band practice, he makes dinner. One of my personal favourites is his delicious curry. He makes a meat curry for himself and normally ends up inviting our son and daughter-in-law to join him. He also makes the same recipe for me, using only vegetables.

Both our sons call him Pops, hence the name of his own personal curry recipe. Don't be misled or put off by the hot-sounding name; my husband loves alliteration...

As for the sambles: apart from the Maryland, I’m responsible for all the accompanying dishes. When in Kwa-Zulu Natal, we often eat out at our favourite Indian restaurant. While you wait, two men in a glass-fronted cubicle with an oven, bake naan bread for you. The first time there, I asked the bakers for their naan recipe which they kindly gave me. A dear friend of mine, Fazila Ebrahim, told me how to make Raita.

Oh, and because I normally get carried away with posts about my garden and pets, and take ages before I post recipes, I decided to post all the relevant curry – related recipes here today. I also felt it’s best to have them all together for easy reference!



Pop’s Burn-down-the-Barn Curry

3 Medium potatoes, peeled and halved
3 Onions finely chopped
1 Brinjal/Aubergine, peeled and quartered
6 Cloves of garlic, crushed
2 Tbs freshly grated ginger
3 Tbs ground dhania
3 Tbs jeera powder
1 Tbs jeera seeds
3 Tbs ground turmeric
2 Tbs ground chillies
3 Tbs Masala
4 Pieces cassia, crushed
4 Pieces cinnamon bark, crushed
½ Cups dried lentils
2 Carrots cut into discs
1 Green pepper, chopped
½ kg topside mince/or stewing meat of your choice
Salt to taste
½ cup olive oil
Fresh dhania, for garnishing

Method
Fry onion, garlic and ginger until golden brown. Add green pepper, carrots and brinjals. Fry for 5 minutes, add lentils and still well. Add meat, fry for a further 5 minutes. Add all the spices, stir and fry for a few more minutes. Add water until you have sufficient juice. Add potatoes and simmer for 45 minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally. Add fresh dhania and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve on rice with sambles. *

Sambles:
Maryland: chopped chillies, onion and tomato;
Desiccated coconut
Sliced banana
Readymade fruit chutney
Readymade Mango atcha
Readymade pappudums (optional)
Raita (See recipe)
Naan bread (See recipe)

Mint and cucumber Raita


45 ml (2 ½ tablespoons) freshly chopped mint
375 ml yoghurt
¼ finely diced cucumber
Salt and pinch of paprika

Add yoghurt to chopped mint, paprika and diced cucumber.
Mix well. Cover and refrigerate until needed.

Naan bread

4 ½ cups cake flour
2 teaspoons minced garlic (optional)
1 x10g packet instant yeast
1 tablespoon white sugar
2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
¼ butter, melted
3 tablespoons milk
1 cup warm water

Place flour, salt, sugar and yeast in a bowl.
Add warm water, milk and egg to make a soft dough
Knead (adding a little flour, if necessary) for 6-8 minutes
Place smooth dough in an oiled bowl, cover and set aside
Allow 1 hour for proving, until dough is double in size
Punch down dough and knead in garlic
Pinch off small handfuls about the size of a golf ball
Roll into balls and place on greased tray
Cover and allow to prove, about 30 minutes
Meanwhile preheat oven to 180 °C/ 350 °F
Press each ball down into thin circles
Cook for 3 – 5 minutes, until puffy and slightly browned
Turn and brush uncooked side with melted butter
Grill for 3 -4 minutes
Remove from oven and serve immediately

My Parents

My parents on their wedding day in 1947

Today, 18th January is the anniversary of my dear mum’s death. She passed away peacefully after a long illness on this day in 2002. It was also my parent’s wedding anniversary. My mum only lived 16 months after my dad died. It seemed as though she didn't have the will to carry on without my dad. On the morning of the day she died, she asked my sister to colour her lips with her favourite lipstick. She said she’d be meeting Dad that night.

My parents met a few years after WWII. My dad, my mum's father and her two older brothers were in active service together up North. (Italy) When he came home, my grandfather introduced my dad to my mum. It wasn't long before they became engaged and on 18 January 1947, they were married.

My parents on their 50th wedding anniversary

My dad, mum and Matewis in their garden flat

In the mid-fifties, my parents and their young family – my two older brothers, I and my younger sister - moved to Southern Rhodesia, (present-day Zimbabwe). This country was A Land of Opportunity at the time and my memories of living there are all wonderful. I know my parents enjoyed their five year stint as Expats as well.

Back in South Africa, I remember our family home as being modest, with a lovely garden; both my parents were avid gardeners. The thing that stands out about my childhood home is that it was the most welcoming abode in the world. When I was thirteen, I had to go to boarding school; from the very first weekend, I brought girls home. These were mostly girls with divorced parents in far-off cities who either couldn’t afford to fetch them home or couldn’t be bothered with them. Only years later did I realise that with four school children of their own, my parents must have been hard-pressed to feed the extra mouths that I and later, my sister, brought home for weekends. Yet, everyone was always welcome and well-fed.

When they retired, my parents moved to a town in the Natal Midlands. They lived near to my sister, Rose and her husband who were always there for them. For seventeen years, mum and dad lived in a ground-floor flat with a beautiful garden and a black-and-white cat called Matewis.* Their home was always open to everyone who had the pleasure of knowing them, kith and kin alike. They were only a short way off the National Freeway so it made a welcome break to stop for a cuppa and delicious home-made chocolate cake (my mum was also a wonderful cook) before continuing on your journey.

I thank God for the wonderful parents I was born to. I honour them with this post today.

Note*: Matewis, (pronounced Maateevis) is still alive and well. He is almost nineteen years old and living out his twilight years with my brother.