Monday, October 28, 2013

Indian Avocado Chutney!


This yummy side dish packs a mixture of flavors that meld wonderfully with the avocados. It's a favorite in our household now. I love it with a fried egg with a paratha in the morning and hubby loves it in rice with tomato pickle. It was so simple to make that I am no longer sure why it seemed so daunting to make!
 
Here's what you will need:
 
2 avocados if they are Hass, or one large Florida avocado, almost ripe. You still want a bit of firmness but still a little soft. Pitted and chopped into medium sizes pieces.
One medium onion chopped
3 to 4 chilies
5 curry leaves
.5 tablespoon of ginger garlic paste
.5-1 cup of loosely packed cilantro leaves to taste
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
2-3 table spoons of oil
Salt to taste
Water

Here's what you do:
  1. Heat the oil in a large skillet and add in the curry leaves, allow them to soften some.
  2. Add in avocado, onion, chillis, ginger garlic paste and cook until onions are translucent and just being to brown.
  3. Remove from heat and allow to cool down some
  4. In blender add in cilantro starting with a .5 cup and lemon juice, then blend
  5. Add in half of the avocado mixture blend on low adding water as needed to make a smooth thick paste, continue adding avocado and water until you have a smooth mixture, add salt to taste.

This is best if made a few hours in advance or even over night so that the flavors meld and deepen. My husband prefers it with more chilies and less cilantro and I like it better with more cilantro. This is a definite must have side dish in any South Asian household and very simple to change to your liking!

Enjoy!





Saturday, October 19, 2013

"Pretty white for a Muslim."


I had only a few things in my basket when I allowed the man behind me go ahead and cut in front of me. He had three items to my ten. I knew he was Muslim by his mannerisms. His smile was warm and his eyes never made contact with mine as he thanked me for my kindness. Hey, I am not going to let NYC drain my patience and kindness out of me. There is a certain harshness and even within the Muslim community on the streets of NYC. A simple act of letting someone go ahead of me makes their day… But sometimes it opens a segway to a dialogue I was not expecting.

The man in his dingy yellowed kurta pajamas had waited outside of the store for me and to be honest, I was a bit frightened! It was my first shopping experience on my own, so my anxiety was on high alert. But then this man opened his mouth, my anxiety subsided into disbelief and then morphed into a pitiful anger for this poor soul.

He was an older man with just a tuff of a long white beard on his chin and when he talked it waved in the breeze as if it was a flag to his testament of being a Muslim this long. His eyes were kind but shallow and he began to quickly quiz me.  “Are you Muslim?” He asked quizzically as he spied the brightly patterned hijab that I was wearing. “Of course I am.” I replied as I felt my jaw clench shut. Mentally reminding myself that it is unkind to put people in their places. “Oh because you are pretty white for a Muslim.” He replied as he searched the layers of my skin for any possible pigmentation I could be hiding. Thankful for the “If you don’t have anything nice to say…” banter that was reamed into my head in elementary school I firmly uttered “That’s because I am WHITE.” And as I walked away that was the end of that conversation.

I still try to make sense of this issue I am plagued with. I do not fit in with my white non-muslim counter parts very well nor do I fit in with my Muslim community. Where do the square pegs go when they do not fit into the hole meant for the round pegs? Some argue that unless you were born a Muslim then you are not a true Muslim. But I am Muslim because I believe in Islam and I submit my will to Allah. I have no other intentions but to be a better Muslim and the color of my skin has no place within Islam because only my heart and my soul does. As much as I reaffirm myself of that, I find myself still rattled by the ignorance of others. Even more so when it comes from a member of my own Muslim community.

This square peg is still trying to force herself into the hole meant for the round pegs. One day I will find my place within both communities.

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

On The Train To Michigan. Poetry.

I wrote this on the train ride back to Michigan to pack up my tiny apartment to start my life with the Mr. I dabble here and there with poetry. I am trying to return to my roots. Let me know if you could see what I saw as I wrote it.
I see our love growing in the mountains
Our little house atop the palatial slate cliff
The cliff drops down to greet the effulgent river below
Our little house built with walls so stiff
To keep the cold crisp October air out
A robust fire and hearty meal keep our family near
Our love growing like the splattering of fall foliage throughout the hills
Not an intruding sound from the hustle and bustle could one hear
Love allowed to grow like the ferns that take shelter in the woods below
Sheltered from the outside curiosity and ignorance to a love like ours
Or maybe amongst tall ears of golden fall corn our love will grow
Where the only sound can be heard is the wind rustling through the lanky maize towers
Perfection found in the yellows and reds of Indian corn, the deep hues of pumpkins and gourds
With the crunching of earthen brown leaves beneath our feet
Remind us of the tenacity that we have to allow our love to grow organically
Where negativity is mixed with manure and peat
Freshly folded and turned into the fields for next year’s harvest
So that a bountiful vibrant love may flourish

Or maybe we will renovate a dilapidated house
In a city where dreams came to perish
Next to rusty skeletons of a once bountiful economy
We will find our love growing beneath the peeling wall paper
Finding shelter behind replaced window panes
Under the patched roof our love grows while the criticisms begin to taper
We will rock the years away in our chairs under the shade of our front porch
But maybe we will never find shelter in any of these places
No refuge from the outside world’s hostilities
The only thing is that is written in the hard lines upon our faces
Is the love we have for each other
No matter where we find ourselves in the harsh environment
Our love will thrive
Protected by the fortitude of our faith
It can only but survive

Sama Plunkett-Rizwan ©2013


 

Thursday, October 3, 2013

Kabayare “Milk Silk Maxi Dress” Review.

*I WAS NOT COMPENSATED AT ALL FOR THIS DRESS. I PURCHASED IT OUT OF POCKET.*

 


(Please excuse the poor cell phone pics, Miss L couldn't handle my Nikon very well.)

As a Muslim woman it is insane to fine reasonably priced modest dresses. When I saw on Kabayare’s website that they had these new Maxi dresses in stock for $32.50 usd, I thought it was worth trying. I was even more moved to buy from them because they are a Michigan company and somewhat local. Which makes it a super huge plus for me.

That being said the ordering process was fairly streamlined and I found no issues with any technical difficulties. Shipping was a flat rate box for $4.85 usd and came exactly two days after I ordered it. They offer free shipping in the United States for orders over $75 usd and flat rate shipping for international orders for $20 usd. And they have a special code when you like their Facebook page.

When I opened the box, I found that it was as pictured on the website. What it comes with is a thin brown somewhat inflexible like thin belt. It’s not really a silky material. I would say it has polyester in it. So It may be pushing it on the sweating factor in the summer but would be perfect for cooler months. It comes in nine different colors, so you do have a nice range of colors.

But that being said… There are some cons to this maxi dress.

  1) It is extremely see through.

  2) It stunk like the chemicals still from the factory and happens to screw with my sinuses. (Which could mean it will shrink if it was not pre-washed before sewing. Cold water only and low heat ladies!)


  3) The bottom hem of the dress was poorly stitched almost through out the whole bottom hem and I will have to repair.

  4) The top of the dress is pretty tight in the bust area even for a “Large.” I am in the medium B cup range and it’s tight. It does have a “stretch” to it but becomes VERY transparent when stretched.

That being said I do not think the dress should be priced for $32.50 usd, I think the quality is more of a dress priced at a range of $20 usd at the very highest price.

Does that mean I will not order these same dresses again?

Honestly, I would. It’s fairly cheap for what normal Muslimahs in the States are accustomed too.

These are my tips:

1) If you can fit the top, a correctly fitting nude color bra or coordinating bra color of your dress would be your best bet.
2) I would also go as far as too wear a sports bra in a coordinating bra color of the dress, so that your bra out line isn’t visible.
3) It's a clingy fabric, so some shape ware would be a plus.



So if you weigh under 150 pounds and your height is 5’6” and under and you can work with the transparent fabric, then you may find these are a decent addition to your wardrobe. I do wish I had bought some other colors too, I am still eyeing the Burgandy, Apple Cider and Candy Coral colors as well.

I will end up wearing leggings with this dress and when I move I will sew in a lining in the top to reduce the transparency and reduce bra visibility. This dress has good bones IF you fit within the height and weight restrictions and are handy with a sewing machine. It has a nice and high neckline so modesty will be easy to obtain!

But I don't regret buying it, I do wish it was a bit better like I expected.


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