A List And Some Contrary Proverbs!

Do you ever dig down your old emails?

There was a time when I used to get a lot of forwarded emails from my friends, some about interesting pictures, some with stories, some with less known facts etc. Today is a all different story. The other day, I was trying to get hold of an email and was trying a random search in my inbox when I chanced upon a few of those forwarded emails and as I read them it seemed like I was reading them for the first time! So, I am sharing one of those interesting email which had some contrary proverbs. Thanks to the original compiler.

Proverbs as we all know are about age old wisdom. But what do you do when you have 2 contrary proverbs. Before hopping on to see what they are, I want to talk about a list I am trying to make.

 A Book List by Indian Authors!

Actually, I will be going to India by the end of August (I can't tell you how elated I am) and I have already started to make to list of things- to-bring-from-India. And books forms a part of it. I am planning to bring 5-8 books by Indian authors this time. I can get books by Non-Indian authors easily here (so, no bother about them). I had bookmarked a lot of books from the blogs I follow and from crossword award list (seems like all the books have made it to this list) and to tell you the truth, I am all confused now. So, please suggest me some titles by Indian authors you have read and loved. Please!

Now, you can read on! Let me know what you think of these proverbs:-)!

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All good things come to those who wait |BUT| Time and tide wait for no man.

Doubt is the beginning of wisdom. |BUT| Faith will move mountains. 

Silence is golden. |BUT| The squeaky wheel gets the grease.
Too many cooks spoil the broth. |BUT| Many hands make light work.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder |BUT| Out of sight, out of mind.

What's good for the goose is good for the gander |BUT| One man's meat is another man's poison.

You're never too old to learn. |BUT| You can't teach an old dog new tricks.

Practice makes perfect. |BUT| All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

Great starts make great finishes. |BUT| It ain't over 'till it's over.

Don't cross your bridges before  you come to them |BUT| Forewarned is forearmed.

Birds of a feather flock together.|BUT| Opposites attract. 

Do it well, or not at all. |BUT| Half a loaf is better than none.

Look before you leap . |BUT| Strike while the iron is hot.

Slow and steady wins the race . |BUT| Time waits for no man.

The best things in life are free lunch .|BUT| There's no such thing as a free.

Wise men think alike |BUT| Fools seldom differ.

The pen is mightier than the sword |BUT| Actions speak louder than words.

Hold fast to the words of your ancestors |BUT| Wise men make proverbs and fools repeat them. ( Am I ??)

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Thanks for stopping by! Cheers!

The Hindi Bindi Club by Monica Pradhan

The Hindi Bindi Club comprises of Indian women, who migrated from India in early post Independence days to settle down in the United States of America. They are the women who despite being so far away from their motherland have tried to maintain their identity in the foreign country (now their home) by their language(Hindi) and attire(Bindi). They have tried their best to imbibe the traditional values, customs in their children who are born in the US and are brought up as 2nd generation Indian-American. But, have they succeded?

The Hindi Bindi Club tells the story of two generation of Indians, parents and their children, more specifically mothers and their daughters living in America ~ their differences as the children grow taking in bits from both the cultures, growing up as beings of dual identity! The novel addresses how difficult it is for the children to live up to the expectations of their parents and still remained grounded and and be true to themselves. Another big part of this novel is food. Food is a major part of any culture. To learn about a culture, you have to learn about the food. So, Monica Pradhan takes us to a tour of Indian Cuisine with her mom's mouthwatering recipes.

The novel starts with Kiran once married to her Italian boy friend much against her parent's wishes and now divorced. She is afraid of the time ticking by and seeks refuge in the old traditional custom of arranged marriage, a custom she once vehemently dismissed as backward and orthodox. In the process she tries to mend her strained relationship with her parents. There is Preity whose first love was dismissed by her mother on religious grounds. Despite being happily married now, her memory often slips into those old times and she tries to fight back her anger and despair. And last of all is Rani, an artist, who has her own demons to exorcise. As all of these and their mothers struggles to hold on their dreams and aspirations, the readers are taken through their life, values and subtle layers of Indian cultures.

I liked the book, but I also had some issues with it. I loved the recipes given in the book and will surely try them eventually. The plot and premise is fine with its own twists and turns that makes the novel a good read in the long run. However, there were some portions I felt were a big too detailed and pointless as if the author included them just for the sake it. There were details of the kitty parties, new year party which did not really add up to the big picture. In the end the detailed description of an Indian marriage custom was really boring and unwanted for. The best thing I liked about the novel was how subtley the author described the healing of relationship between Kiran and her mother in particular, how they were there for each other in the times of their need.Overall the author has tried to give an account of the first and second generation Indian in the USA with all their struggles and difficulties in combining traditional Indian culture with modern American values. I also felt that this novel caters to only a limited audience. However, it would be a good read for all those people who are keen on knowing about Indian culture and cuisine.

Wordless Wednesday - Mellow Yellow

#15 Teaser Tuesdays- The Story Of Beautiful Girl by Rachel Simon

I have just started  with this book, so here is a teaser from the very first few pages.

"Dread squeezed the widow's chest. Five years into retirement, she was long past the time when she knew all the faces in Well's bottom, and she did not know these. She should slam the door, call the police."

Page: 5

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! Share the title & author, too, so that others can add the book to their TBR Lists!

Paneer Tikka With Minty Yoghurt Dip and Green Chutney!

Chunks of paneer marinated in spicy masala marinade and then grilled with veggies! Does that sound appetizing!

I can't tell you how my taste buds are watering even when I write this. Paneer Tikka is a perfect barbecue option for vegetarians and it is one of the most popular paneer dishes around. It's non-vegetarian option, Chicken Tikka is more famous in the western world.

I had been searching a perfect tikka recipe and was trying out different ones at a time. After several trials and errors, this one has worked best for me. I have adapted this recipe for SharmisPassions and have actually made it a couple of times. It has been a hit every time. Thanks Sharmi for the recipe. It is definately a keeper for all paneer lovers.

Ingredients:

Makes 5 Skewers

15  1'' cubes of Paneer
15 1'' peices onion cut in squares
15 1'' peices of green pepper cut in squares( You could also use different colour of peppers if you like)

For marinade:

1/4 cup thick yoghurt /greek style yoghurt.

1 tbsp oil

1 tsp chilli powder

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp garam masala

1 tsp chat masala

1 tbsp lemon juice

1/4 tsp pepper powder

1/2 tsp grated ginger.

2 cloves of garlic pounded.

Generous pinch of salt.

Process:

1. Mix all the ingredients of the marinade in a bowl and add in the paneer cubes and square cut onion and pepper.

2. Cover the bowl with a cling film and keep it inthe fridge for a minimum of 1 hour or up to 12 hours for marination.

3. Pre heat the oven on grill mode at 200-210 C.

4. In skewers (I use wooden, so I keep them immersed in water for 2 hours or more before using) thread pepper, onion and paneer alternately) I use 3 of each in each swekers.

5. Line a baking tray with foil and place them on it. drizzle any extra marinade from the bowl over the skewers.

6. Grill in the preheated oven for 20-25 mins turning them upside down once in midway.

The baking tray will not be the cleanliest thing, but I can assure you on the taste of the tikkas.

7. To check done ness, see if they are charred round the corners. I love the resulting smokey flavor. Take them out and let them cool a bit before serving.

Serve them hot with minty yoghurt dip and (follow link for recipe of green chutney) Green chutney.

 We had Soda Lemonade as a drink with it. Recipe to follow soon!

Minty Yoghurt Dip:

1/2 tsp dried mint powder.
1/2 cup yoghurt.
1 tsp sugar.
Salt to taste.

Process:

1. Mix all the ingredients and dip is ready. Pairs well with hot and spicy dishes as yoghurt and mint together has a double cooling effect.

Linking it to Serve it Grilled . Enjoy!

Thank you for stopping by! Cheers!