my most expensive pair of shoes

today i was home alone and since i really didn't have a reason to leave the comforts of home, i decided to look through the piles of junk in my cupboards and throw out the crap (shocking because my parents have been bugging me for some time to get down to doing it). and really, there is a lot of clutter in my room.

in the midst of all the excavation, i chanced upon an interesting item - now, most girls/women i know have a thing for shoes. we simply love shopping for shoes! it probably tops clothes, lingerie and handbags any day. i've always been pretty good with not splurging on shoes (though that doesn't mean i don't own many pairs - i share quite a lot with my mom so they don't blow a hole in the wallet). the one exception to this was on a trip to San Francisco when i was 15 (to visit family friends). i had just started learning pointe several months before and my shoes were getting really small so i was eager to visit dance shops while we were in the US (they have racks and racks of clothing AND shelves jam-packed with every type of dance shoe imaginable!). i remember walking into one shop and asking to try on some pointe shoes. i loved how helpful staff were and they didn't mind you trying on 10 pairs and not even buying in the end (ahh if only service were this good in Singapore). but once i tried on this pair, i loved it! nevermind that they cost US$100 (i think - something like that) - my parents were really nice and very willing to pay to see their daughter happy (sigh). when i got home i had problems darning the shoes (because the satin was so tightly wrapped around the shoes) that my ballet teacher (equally enamoured by the beauty of the shoes) offered to help me darn them. and at the end of the day, i only wore them about once or twice in class (i gave up pointe because they really hurt my toes, especially as my big toenails curl upwards at the end).















ahh these beautiful shoes...

















even the packaging is gorgeous... the box daintly says
i love the tag line... ("Every product is designed to enhance the beauty of movement")and i even found my first pair of pointe shoes!















AND see the difference in size?


ahh my beautiful shoes...

TANDOOOOOORI chicken

i've always been a big fan of Gordon Ramsay's TV shows, especially Channel 4's The F Word. last season i tried his recipe for beef stew and it has been a hit every time. in the latest season to end (season 3), he had some very interesting dishes and i was very keen to try some of his recipes. i've only JUST got round to testing his tandoori recipe (he used halibut but i chose chicken instead) and was very eager to see my family's reactions (because if they liked it, it means that Ramsay's recipes are foolproof!)

TANDOORI CHICKEN

All you need is...

• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 tsp coriander seeds
Toast in a frying pan over very low heat (to prevent from burning) until fragrant (a few minutes is all it takes). Then grind as finely as possible in a pestle and motar.

Mix the following with this powder mixture:
• 4 tsp garam masala
• 4 tbsp sweet paprika
• 2 tsp hot chilli powder
• Juice of a lemon
• 4 tbsp groundnut oil
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 2 tbsp tomato puree
• 6 garlic cloves, crushed
• Large knob of fresh root ginger, finely grated

Once you get a paste-like consistency, add
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp caster sugar
• 200g tub natural yogurt

Marinade the chicken in the mixture (this makes enough for 4 legs) for several hours, making sure it is well-coated. Heat some vegetable oil in a hot pan and sear the chicken on both sides (till golden brown/brown). Transfer to roasting pan, pour remaining marinade over the pieces (as well as any oil and marinade left in the hot pan, and pop into a preheated oven (at 200 degrees Celsius). Turn the chicken occasionally so that both sides get evenly browned. Time in the oven is about 50mins.

i served my chicken with flavoured rice (simply chop some onions, heat up a frying pan with vegetable oil and fry the onions, some turmeric, cumin and nutmeg powder over low heat, add the washed rice and fry for a few minutes before transferring to the rice pot. add the appropriate amount of chicken stock and cook as usual. stir in raisins after the rice is cooked - this is so that they don't get mushy from soaking up the stock) and some stir-fried beans.

my family really enjoyed the chicken though the sauce - i.e. what is scrapped from the roasting pan, was too salty (strangely enough, the sauce looked like satay sauce!). but overall a good verdict.

so now i'm going to work my way through his other recipes that i've bookmarked to try. :)

Walking in His Rest

Then said she, Sit still, my daughter, until you learn how the matter turns out; for the man will not rest until he finishes the matter today.

Ruth 3:18