2 Ramadhan 1435 - Partaking in the blessings

In the name of Allah, Most gracious, Most merciful.

In Ramadhan there is much to do so I won’t be blogging for long, but I will try my best share. It is a blessing for me to witness this Ramadhan and to be present in it and I am gratified. In fact I think that in Ramadhan it is a boon that in Cape Town the blessings rain down on this city and on this country with all of the reciters of the Esteemed Qur’an by those who know it by memory and those who know it by heart and by script and those who recite it fluently and those who are still learning to recite. The one who struggles is loved by Allah SWT too.  Imagine that, thousands of women and men reciting the Qur’an cover to cover for 30 days, I am humbled.

I am elated at the “luidkeels” reciting of the Qur’an resounding here from dawn to the background of the birds singing. Taraweeg has been brought home, thank you Allah - because last year we walked to mosque but when it was raining we ended up a bietjie siekies and my daughter and I had to do the late night prayers at home. But even in that there was grace.

I make the most duah that I am able to savour every opportunity of worship, that I do not get distracted in my prayers by small thoughts that invade my mind of what to cook or how many samoosas to fold or whether there are enough towels that have dried. And thank you Allah that the geyser is fixed and I can now take wudhu with warm water! I have wonderful memories of Ramadhan – my Mom used to let the telephone ring just to check if we overslept. So when we are busy in the kitchen preparing for Suhur I almost expect a call. My kids abroad created a little group to exchange pics and I look forward to getting my Skype account sorted out. So ja, the family camaraderie is lekker though we miss Ramadhan together.

It always delights me looking around as everyone breaks fast, a light shines on flushed faces filled with a sense of achievement. “Pace yourselves, your stomachs are still a bit shy, moderation!”, but they just grin and lick their fingers, a re-appreciation of eating after good restrain. The younger ones really step up to the plate with help all round, but with the last tidying up and last few dishes I let them go off the hook - I can see they are a bit tired.

With the entire goings on, I have not neglected to plant and replenish beds – a new cabbage patch with cabbages red and green, more cauliflowers and some broccoli. We also planted the borage seedlings and another crop of danya as it is used on a daily basis. In the strawberry patches I have replenished the lettuce in the gaps. The chillis are a bit skrams with me picking everyday so best to give it a bit of miss and buy some. Alas, the spinach has almost all been picked to the bone and need to replenish itself.  And finally some weeding and picking off hairy worms by hand after the rains from the leafy plants.

And so I am signing off as I need to get things ready for tomorrow. So lekker pwasa, to those who are fasting and stay in the mercy of Allah.

Plant food and be joyous and giving.

Yasmine

27 June 2014 - Schools out, Taraweeg is in.

In the name of Allah, Most gracious, Most merciful.

 

Samoosa stuff

 I really feel blessed, Alhamdulilaah. With a bit of effort the gardens yield so much - spinach, danya, spring onions, chillies for over 400 samoosas and some daltjies. More blessed am I to live on a property where the Qur’an is learnt.

The school is smallish during the week and on weekends it is bustling with adult learners. The teachers, are modest and knowledgeable in their specific areas of expertise, and handle the learners with much dignity and respect; I am pleased that my son is a part of this learning environment. Early in the morning, I try not to bang the broom against the furniture or have the kettle compete with melodious voices revising and preparing the day’s work. The cacophony of different voices makes me linger in the garden trying to be unobtrusive. The students are polite, playful and curious but hey can they batcha! The gardens are spaces they can stroll in and maybe pick some peas or chew on the mint.

The day before the air was different, in fact quite upbeat for mid-year exams. The ones learning hifth were tested by an external assessor and those who learn Arabic and the different types of qira’ah (articulation/recitation of the Qur’an) with written tests as well as oral testing.

As they stood around patiently waiting their turn I asked, “are you nervous?” “a bit.” But whoever came out of the exam room had definite thumbs up and a broad smile trotting off to report to their teacher. I liked the comment of the assessor – “It is of utmost importance that the student embodies good character and humility for certainly that is why the Qur’an is being learnt.” Their Ustadts seemed pleased with comments and marks and they all set out today for a celebration! Roadtrip!

As the school closes for the Ramadhan, all of them will lead Taraweeg solaah inshaAllah, some at masajid and some in smaller personal family spaces where angels fill the gaps. An excellent way for revising their chapters and to break their nerve to lead a full congregation one day, Subhanallah. I walk around the school this morning, the dew is fresh on the plants and the Chinese cabbage looks completely sacrificed so the rocket can start seeding for storing. It is quiet as they have end of term closure and reports are handed out. All I will say is that my son looks quite chaffed as he hands me his!

 I like that both our youngest are memorizing the Qur’an, sometimes they revise together and point out different techniques. And they show concern for one another, first thing my daughter asks when she gets home: “did it go well?” or when I ask for help my son remarks: “I’ll do it, she’s practicing for the competition.” I’m not complaining, for them it’s all about consolidating past chapters to move forward, for me it’s just a good cup of tea. And then I wonder whether they are just sucking up to watch an episode. JUST ONE, let’s take a bit of a break to watch The Blacklist, it will be Ramadhan soon and we will be busy with so much more exciting things.

 For the last three days the smells of samoosas fill the air and seep into everything. A quick sweep out, tidy up, wash up and different fillings are prepared. For now I settle on spinach, white cheddar and jalapeño; topside mince, danya and cayenne chillis; corn, spring onion, cheddar and mozzarella with a dash of paprika and finally chicken, peppers and corn. And then the folding begins, and stops, some admin work has to be done. And then continues, thank goodness the weather is cool. I want to finish as much folding as possible before Monday, maybe I meet with my supervisor and have buckle down with my research.
 

Chinese cabbage sacrifice

But the more I fold, the more everyone just rocks up in the kitchen and fry a few tasters. I have folded 450 so far, of which 200 went away on order, 120 in the freezer and a few for guests. Seriously. I love making samoosas, it is a time that I sit restfully contemplate and rhythmically fold. It’s a time when old friends turn up to find out if there’s any left for sale. It’s a time that my older son comes to rescue me and cut kilos of chicken fillets or onions so patiently or makes me a cuppa. It’s the time when we chat and everyone helps pulling off strips and packing neat boxes. But here’s the thing. I hate to smell like samoosas, it’s like the onion smell permeates your skin and your scarf and your taste even after a long shower. So early when the house is still, I open the windows wide and bleach the cloths I used to squeeze out the onions and throw my clothing in the washer. Notwithstanding the olfactory onslaught, it does taste so good, doesn’t it?

Plant food and experiment with samoosas fillings

Jumuah Mubarak!!! and happy holidays.

Yasmine

 

 

 

 

Blessed are those who are invited to Makkah - 25 June 2014.

In the name of Allah, Most gracious, Most merciful.

Our parents

 It is so heartwarming when our family members and friends are off to the blessed cities Makkah Mukarramah and Medina Munowarah. It takes me right back to a kaleidoscope of memories of our journey – my brother Adli and his wife Sadia and Abubakr and myself. I was about 28 weeks pregnant and Sadia became pregnant in Medinah.

 Bumpy journey from Jeddah to Medinah. Salawaat and stops at quaint mosques. Excitement of the sight of the first minarets. Rushing to the haram to give salaams and inhale the sweetest attar at the Beloved Rasululah’s (peace and blessings upon him) qabr. Gliding over cold marble to Fajr solaah. Out of breathe in saf with sisters from all over the world. Sipping chai and friendly Medinite woman putting spearmint in my cup.

Then the first time one dons the pure white ihram clothes, niyyah at Bir Ali, tears and trembling and so humbled to have been invited.  The heart is full yet light and excited for those first steps. We arrived in Makkah just as the Fajr solaah ended and the four of us stood on the outskirts of the mataaf. Those first steps down, going down into the valley. As we enter Bab salaam, Abu looks down all the time wanting to see the Ka’aba in its entire splendor. I cannot resist looking, my eyes searching. A corner of the black cloth is enough at every step.

Not believing the invitation until that moment. I place my hand on my womb to feel the fierce kicking and I am at ease knowing that this was my time in kiyaam at the Ka’aba and kiyaam on Arafat and in kiyaam we will be Youmil Kiyaamah. I yearn to go back.

When Ramadhan approaches it is the time I miss my parents most for the last 12 years. I miss that they are not somewhere or anywhere that I may be able to be in their company. My parents’ hajj when I was 11 inspired me that I yearned to go. So count yourselves so lucky to have your parents around and be patient with them. When they are gone there is a void that cannot be filled because you know that they forgive your little debts, take care of your children when you travel, drive them to school, always make duah for you, waltz with your babies, beseech Allah to make you successful, to keep you on the straight path, to fill your heart with love and to forgive your trespasses.

So Ramadhan time I feel closer to them and keep their memories dear and try to be as giving and generous as the example they were to me and make duah like they did for me. I delve into my photos and smile when I look at them at different ages, my Dad looks like Mr Miyagi and today I I'm thinking, hey, the scanner does not work so what’s wrong with the camera. So these are some of the pics that I have of them. I hope with the grace of Allah that I can be a worthy daughter of their efforts.

Plant food and be thankful for parents.

Yasmine

My Mom is about 58 and my Dad 61 in this pic

 

Oupa with Bilqis



Ouma at wedding

 

Ms Bown aka Sies Noya

Don’t be SAD, make creamy fillet with Shitake - 24 June 2014

In the name of Allah most gracious, most merciful

 

 

It’s early in the day and I am busy clearing out the freezer for samoosas, just took a brusque walk outside. Yep I sound positively perky, could be the sunlight ha ha. Seriously, the winter blues or SAD are real for some people especially in countries that get little sunlight or where the heat keeps people indoors breathing in conditioned air all the time.  

(check out http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/wellness_articles.asp?id=341).

Apparently it is the interplay between sunlight, melatonin and serotonin that stimulates our good mood. Sunlight is an excellent source of Vitamin D only 20 minutes a day - so a brisk walk in the sunlight is highly recommended. And then other sources of Vitamin D is of course fatty fish such as salmon, trout, tuna, cod and our own local is lekker snoek!. My all-time favourite Vitamin D source is shitake mushrooms especially dried.  So I am researching,  finding shitake spores to grow InshaAllah.

Soon everyone shall be on vacation and then we start fasting. Everyone’s excited, we’re trying to get wheels so that we don’t miss out on Taraweeg, so Abu’s off having a look at second hand cars. Ramadhan is such a wonderful opportunity for families to establish more communal activities – praying together, reciting together, reading and helping out with the chores. So much work to do in the neighbourhood.

I know it’s difficult for those who are unable to fast because of illness, pregnancy and sometimes lactating mothers, sometimes people real feel bad about not fasting and end up more sick than before.  But Ramadhan comes with so much barakah and even though one may not be able to fast it is a time to refine solaah and reciting the Qur’an and increase our sadaqah, share with those who do not have. I love the idea of making and distributing pre Ramadhan parcels so that we ensure that everyone fasting has at least had a good breakfast and will break fast with something to eat. So if you have all of those extra goodies on the table consider those who don’t have.

Also there are many programmes and courses going during the Ramadhan such as women only sessions on Sunday mornings at Islamia Masjid; an exciting 6 day Ramadhan Intensive Qur’anic Arabic Course with the Aqsa Institute; recharging your Iman with Sh Riyad Walsh and a host of others, just google it.

We developed a ritual during Ramadhan when our older kids were still teenagers. They could invite all of their friends for boeka (breaking fast) Abu and I would do all the cooking. They have to do the serving, bring dessert and lead the solaah.  It was a great opportunity to meet their friends, sometimes about 40 kids would descend on us. He, Abubakr makes a really excellent fillet with creamy mushroom sauce, a recipe he learnt from his Dad. Served with crisp lettuce coated in Dijon mustard, some breads or sweet saffron rice really delicious.  So this is one of those family recipes that Abubakr has tweaked a bit and I am sharing it, enjoy!

Fillet with creamy mushroom

Ingredients

1.       1 kg fillet steak

2.       1 tub of fresh cream

3.       3 garlic cloves

4.       2 hot chillis

5.       1 small red onion

6.       A handful danya

7.       A small tomato

8.       1 punnet of button mushrooms

9.       Peppers stripped

10.   Salt and pepper and Soya sauce for seasoning

11.   2 Tablespoons of oil

 

Preparation

·         Cut steak into medallion sizes

·         Season with salt and pepper and a dash of soya sauce

·         Add oil to pan and preheat

·         Fast 3-minute fry in hot pan and set aside

·         In the same pan sauté onions, chillis, mushrooms, garlic and peppers.

·         Return steak to the pan and pour over cream.

·         Turn down heat and allow to simmer for 10 mins

·         May be prepared in advance and warmed. Should the sauce be too thick, add a little milk.

·         Garnish with danya just before serving

·         Serve with fresh toss salad and fresh Italian breads or sweet saffron rice

 

Plant food and take walks in the sun.

Yasmine

Welcome Ramadhan -23 June 2014

In the name of Allah, most gracious, most merciful.

 

 

Ok, so I packed away the cough syrup, flu tabs, but the honey and vicks have just got to stay. Enough of this flu, there’s work to be done!!! Putting away laptop with addictive series and starting a much needed spring clean to welcome Ramadhan.

 

Alhamdulilaah and Shukr for good weather, the sun has been out for a few days – much needed warm rays for all the plants and all of us of course. What with all the preparation for the start of Ramadhan the weekend. Celery strong – check. Turnips big enough – check, carrots bit too small – check (sad face). The spinach stand strong in saf, waiting to be chopped up for bajias and daltjies and spinach and cheese wraps. Spring onions ready for cheese and corn samosas, and enough danya chop chop chop. Mints and lemon grass for teas. Ramadhan calendar stuck to the wall in plain sight, scrimmaging through cupboards to take out falooda syrup and took maria seeds. Stocking up with fresh chana flour, sago and vermicelli and replenishing spices. Fresh dates for boeka and some to share inshaAllah.

Just a side note. I had a look at the stats for the blog and to date 1146 pagesviews yay!! And then I had a look at the audience and about 29 pageviews of readers come from Russia with love. My daughter and I wonder if this can be true, the only way we would know was if we had a Russian comment, Nyet? So we do hope that in Russia, in South Korea, in Abu Dhabi, Ghana, Malawi, Malaysia, Brazil.  Heck ALL OVER THE WORLD, there are people preparing for a Ramadhan, (Есть замечательный Рамадан) Yest' zamechatel'nyy Ramadan – in Russian I hope it means have an awesome Ramadhan!

Back to Ramadhan in Cape Town. I am making samosas to stock up and for a few personal friends and family. So tomorrow we start preparing and hope to fold a thousand inshaAllah. Wish a fairy could come and clean the house so all I can do is spend time folding ha ha.This year I am preparing some menus in my head and it should be wholesome and balanced. For too long Ramadhan is wonderful fasting and then gorging ourselves on too many sweet things and platters of food.

Our excuse is that we will get rid of it in the Taraweeg solaah. We really have to usher in more fruit and veggies and lots of water to balance our diets. The rule of thumb for me is always how nutritious and delicious it will be, to the dismay of my family sometimes, BORING! But I insist, well at least for myself and the ones who will join me. I don’t see the sense of the fast when we do this and stuff ourselves to the brim. We should be learning self-restraint and self-discipline as one of the spin offs of fasting. We fast for the sake of Allah and to develop taqwa. So what better an opportunity to start eating more healthy? Right? Right?

Don’t get me wrong, I just plain love sweet stuff – pancakes and fritters and waffles and shakes and dates. I also love all the savouries. But always in moderation, should be the spirit. Now some people eat solid breakfast for Suhur and some eat light. All of my kids wherever they are – everyone comes forward to help, shukran jazeelan. Lay the table, make some toast, warm milk, make tea and for the more adventurous fry some eggs and maybe some strips of rump steak with onion, green pepper and garlic, yum. Personally that’s a bit too heavy for me. I like to make smoothies with juice, yogisip, banana, apple and half a carrot and a small hand of oats. One or two dates and cuppa and I am good to go.

Ramadhan is also the time where one has the attention of the whole family, some crawling out of the woodwork to come and help, just love it. These were the moments that my sons learned to fold samosas, flip a pancake, make a fruit salad and really became interested in cooking and trying out new dishes and recipes. My daughters were stalwart taking charge especially in the times when I was pregnant or studying, ensuring that everything happened smoothly. My mother fashioned a Ramadhan environment that is with us forever. Joyous air in the house, about sharing, being helpful and being creative. We are all constantly creating new family rituals – for example for us this month is also a month of learning new things. Come on, there is so much time to do all of one’s obligations and recite a chapter for the day (or more if you prefer), help with chores and have some time left to learn something new.

Every year I set out to learn a lekker intricate challenging dessert or dish, that’s how I learnt to make cashew nut baklava, crème friache pavlova, paellas, and inshaAllah this year I want to make my own pasta!! Yay! Of course if I could learn to make hard cheeses would be superb but let me not get ahead of myself.

So as I sign off for the evening, a big cheer and shukran to the Hydepark College in Rondevlei, staff and learners of grade 6, 7 and 8. We had a smashing time planting strawberries and spinach and getting our hands dirty in the soil and compost and good conversation of the role that we need to play as custodians of the earth, recycling and respecting resources. The staff is always so supportive and helpful from the principal to the ground staff. May Allah bestow His barakah on everything that we do and every effort we make to plant. Ramadhaan Kareem to everyone where ever you may find yourself!

Ps. In the Popular Mechanics of March 2013 there is a wonderful article on how to create a seed bank. “How do seedbanks preserve their stock” by the author of the book The Seed Underground, Janisse Ray. Oulike article– how’s that as leaving a legacy for the future. The gist of it is to dry leftover seeds until they are brittle, store them in airtight glass containers and pop the in the freezer. This may last from between 20 years to 1000 years depending on the species and variety. Abu has started drying and packing but heck with our electricity outages can't risk freezing them here!

Plant food, eat seeds and save some 
 
Yasmine

 

 

What about the Bees? - 18 June 2014.

In the name of Allah most gracious most merciful.

 

 So the Nasheed competitions are over and some are happy and some may be a bit sad. I think we should not lose sight of the Nasheed initiative organised by Discover Islam Centre, to open social spaces for our youth and celebrate that. So, Mabruk to each and every participant - your contributions facilitated much joy and excitement and hope of what is possible with a bit of effort. In our house everyone has their own favourite, but at the end of the day we accede to the outcome of the competition and threaten each other with “just wait till next year!”

 

The bronchial flu doing its rounds is expected after the first real cold bout. Personally I am irritated with myself at the persistent coughing and fever, so much to do. So today, I forced myself out of bed, took a warm shower and steam, apply some Vicks, dressed warmly and started the day. The house needs cleaning and sweeping, washing needs to be done and of course the garden needs tending. I firmly order everyone around - many hands gets the job done. And I am out to the garden, eating the most tender young peas and radish, head to the potato baths and shovel soil to top them up. I sit down a bit when I am out of breath and pretend to give Abu a hand with planting out strawberry plants.

In the last few weeks two people use the term: “start the conversation” when you embark on a project or initiative and want ideas to take root.  In fact I want to start two conversations in this blog. The first is our efforts with the Grow Food not Lawn project and the second to pay attention excellent job done by bees, a ni'amah Subhaanallah.

We started about 115 days ago, and Alhamdulilaah we are almost able to sustain ourselves completely from the garden. Potatoes are still growing and no cucurbits. It took a lot of hard work, generous helping hands and cunning. To lure the bees and control the pests; to stagger the planting but more and more we are starting to realise the vegetables of our labour. We also explore growing in recycled containers in order that people who have little garden or no space can sustain themselves. So one flat tray can hold 4 to 5 head lettuce. A milk tray can be used for root veggies and of course the bigger wooden bins – 40 carrots, 40 beats and still space for leeks around it and the occasional spinach bush.  In the main no one wants to be in the garden in the cold weather, but there are so much vegetables that our garden yields in the winter months such as:

·         Beets

·         Carrots

·         Onions

·         Kale

·         Cabbages

·         Cauliflower

·         Fava Bean

·         Leeks

·         Turnips

·         Perennial Flowers

·         Perennial Herbs

·         Swiss Chard red and green

·         Chives

·         Radishes

·         Broccoli

·         Leaf Lettuces

·         Danya, methi etc

·         Mustard

·         Spinach

·         Peas

Imagine we all grew our own potatoes – in bags and tyres and baths and in the soil where we have space. We could all harvest at different times and share our yields with each other. Think about it, potatoes can cost up to R50 a bag.

About the other “conversation”,  the bees. During the last week I notice that bees are all around when we have tea or something sweet under the canopy. They descend on the dregs of tea and left over sweet sauces in plates. So I guess that there are not enough flowers around for them to collect nectar after the rains. I notice in Schaapkraal that many of the eucalyptus trees have been chopped down and spaces where there were flowers all year round has been filled in with clay ground and rubble.

We’ve been planting marigolds, pansies and calendula, borage and many other varieties of flowers furiously to entice bees, but not enough yet it seems. Did you know that 78% of our pollinators are bees and that bees are dying off? So I would like to start a conversation on being pro- active and inspire as many people as possible to set up a hive in their backyard at best and at least, plant flowers so bees can collect nectar. As soon as we set up our hives I will keep you in the loop inshaAllah!!!

"And your Lord taught the honey bee to build its cells in hills, on trees, and in (men's) habitations; Then to eat of all the produce (of the earth), and find with skill the spacious paths of its Lord: there issues from within their bodies a drink of varying colours, wherein is healing for mankind: verily in this is a Sign for those who reflect. (Surat an-Nahl (The Bee), 68-69)

Also, have a peep at the infographic:  http://www.beesfree.biz/The%20Buzz/Disappearing-Honey-Bees-Infographic. And I am back to bed!

Plant food and keep bees

Yasmine

Nisf Shabaan 13 June

In the name of Allah, most gracious, most merciful.

Though there are differing juristic opinion of this night, whether it has merit or not or whether the hadith quoted are weak, it is a special night for me and my family where ever we may find ourselves in the world.

As for the verse in the Qur'an, "We sent it down on a blessed night, for We are warning. In that night every affair is wisely decided. [44:2-3] " there is debate whether it be the middle night of Sha'baan or Lailatul Qadr. As for us we gather to praise Allah SWT on all esteemed nights and to recite the Qur'an and to take heed of Allah's warnings and commands. So ja, I thought a quick note and then recital of Surah Yaseen and duah inshaAllah.


Its so amazing every Ruwa when I look at the sky as we drive to masjid, the clouds look like thousands of Malaaikah race each other to the places of barakah. Tonight is no exception, just I am not on my way to masjid, I am sitting here looking out and contemplating this esteemed night, with a sore throat and chest.

I was about 31 years old when I did my first Salaatu Tazbih in a full congregation on a night like this at the Claremont Main Road masjid and it was wonderful Alhamdulilaah and a practice I instilled in myself, on Arafaat and I try hard to perform at least once a month. Sometimes I skip but then re align my intention.

So I look forward to Ramadhan in two weeks time and I make duah for us all. I do hope that Allah bestows blessings on the garden too so enough family and friends can come for spinach and soup greens and salads. A very good friends of ours is starting food garden projects at four mosques during Ramadhan and I hope I call on friends to come and dirty their hands inshaAllah - each one teach one.

Have a Mubarak evening and Ramadhan Kareem.

Plant food and contemplate the awe of your Lord.

Yasmine

 

 

11 June 2014 Madam, ginger goes with everything.

In the name of Allah most gracious most merciful.

I dream of lavender fields at the back of my house, you know like the ones you see on cards and surreal wallpapers – purple for miles and miles and then a small farm house. Unfortunately we don’t have that much space. But I think that’s why Abu is doing so many cuttings for that one day. We have planted about 50 plants all over the property and planted out so many cuttings. I thought that if I ever had a lavender farm I would make lavender oils and soaps and creams and wholesome lavender biscuits, and beehives close by inshaAllah, anything is possible with Allah. So this is our first crop in the vase, don’t laugh. According to literature, I mean Google, one is supposed to cut the blooms of the first crop so the next flush will be magnificent.

With all the sore throats going round I gargle with a sage infusion, dress warmly and get outside to plant ginger, what with the sun shining down on us. I figure with it being so expensive I should plant my own. The Sudanese call it Zanjabil (sp?)The ginger swelled out well and I cut about 17 pieces of rhizome with little growths on them. I started to stuff in name boards because seriously we have some grow bags, not sure what has been planted in them ha ha, surprise! The benefits of ginger are many and I use it in curries, ice teas, infusions for colds. Koeksisters and soetkoek also contain ground dry ginger. But I love it best when glazed to pop into my mouth and also finely diced in chocolate and ginger biscuits. Ginger beer also helps lactating Moms bring on the milk! Oh of course and whole dried ginger in fig and melon preserves.

I noticed that the thyme seeds are handling the cold well and the chamomile is probably out of season thus only a few stand strong. But I am determined and reseeded today with a huge Basmallah and closed them up for the night with black bags. Abu had a rash on his back this afternoon and I squeezed out some bulbinella sap and applied it. The rash is still there but not so angry red and the itching has stopped. See it works.

The cooked beets were delicious, and although I like to make a beet salad with white vinegar and a hot chilli, it tastes by far superior to eat it freshly boiled, peeled  and cut into wedges, tucked into green salad with feta or on its own. The methi has really taken off and I can’t wait to try that methi curry! And the radishes so cute – bright red and tasty.  I poked my finger around the turnips and carrot roots to see whether they are usable yet and I think in about two weeks time, all the veggies in the soup will come from the garden, Thank you Allah.

I have also learnt many lessons with the first crops. Firstly, bad idea to plant the peas at the base of the wigwams. They are so unruly, reaching out their tendrils and half choking everything in reach. They grew so densely that the sun does not reach the other plants in the centre of the wigwams. Even though I tie them up they continue to frolic all over the rest of the vegetables. But they are so lush and beautiful and the crop is rewarding.

 

So the vegetable patch is now a beautiful sight to behold. When we were on Hajj, we met a man called Emaan from Indonesia. We came up from the haram one night and just heard a “Hi”.  Who says Hi in Makkah? Up comes a man with the boat shaped furry fez tilted to the one side of his head, broad smile and introduced himself to us - having worked for the United Nations.

Anyway, long story short, he was relating some stories about his Dad having passed on  at the age of 128 years; outlived 4 wives at different times and many many children and grandchildren. I, of course, “So what was the secret of his longevity?”

“Well”, said he “my father went to bed and the last thing he drank was a cup of lukewarm water, he did the same when he woke up (his drinks were never piping hot or icy cold. In the morning the first thing he did after he washed and prayed was to look out over the greenery of the garden, thus he only started to wear spectacles at the age of 100. I was not surprised because these were practices of the Nabi Muhammad (Peace and blessings upon him). But then Emaan started to describe another secret - maggots fried in garlic butter, I don’t even want to relate the whole wash a chicken and stuff it into a jar until the maggots appear thing. Anyway, I try to do that in the morning, I mean feast mine eyes upon the greenery, because hey I can’t get by without my specs ne, I have to keep something further away than my arm nowadays. Could not even put the thread through the needle this morning.

Ginger is part of the Zingiberaceae family. The MNT Knowledge Center features a collection of articles on the health benefits of popular foods. It highlights the history of ginger, its therapeutic benefits, and some important precautions you should be aware of before taking the herb. Check out the article by Christian Nordqvist at: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/265990.php and remember that there is good in most herbs but of course in moderation.

Later

Plant food and use ginger in moderation.

Yasmine

 

 

 

 

 

A berber dessert called Khalbaloos – 10 June 2014

In the name of Allah most gracious, most merciful.

so what's for dinner?

 

Sigh, too many electricity outages over the last few days so little opportunity to blog. Alas, the floors are full off wax drops, so it’s mopping armed with a knife. I am rushing to scrunch in everything for the blog because…wait for it…we received a flyer in the post that the electricity will be off tomorrow from 8.00am to 16.00 for cable re-arrangement! I do wish we could have notice every time the electricity goes off or when it goes on the voltage is so low that we cannot even switch on the kettle. But let’s not moan too much lest they change their minds. InshaAllah I hope that we have better service after this.

Besides all the maneuvers in the dark with candles, these last few days have been fruitful. Alhamdulilaah, on Friday, the iLABS team was on invigilation duty at the Islamic Peace College of SA, exams are in full swing. Students were a bit nervous but settled down after signing in. A very somber environment like this always gives me the giggles. I love exams, always did at school or campus. The last assessments for public speaking was so good - my day was made.

After Jumuah, we went to Salt River - my son got some suedes for winter, I got some rainmac ponchos for R35 each, that meant I could pop in to the hairdresser for a wash and trim. A haircut somehow has the capacity to cheer up one’s day, right? It is such a treat to have someone shampoo and massage one’s scalp, please don’t stop and some good advice from a nimble hairdresser. And then it rained and rained and rained. But that did not stop us from garden work, Alhamdulillah, ons het mos rain ponchos!

Over the weekend, Abu continued planting out strawberries into grow bags but the patch does not diminish. The red sunflowers brace the cold weather quite well and now have six leaves. The two rambling rose cuttings from Waseemah have rooted and were planted out Alhamdulilaah. Yesterday was quite cold and I was averse to gardening, just looking through windows and a quick hurried walk around. Then made soup and baked the ginger snaps that were ready to be baked but without electricity was just sitting there. I really must get a coal stove or one of those beautiful Aga stoves in bright red or green! Or maybe we should just make a “galley” like people do on the street. A tin with some holes in, hot coals and we can stand around it rubbing our hands together and telling jokes.

This morning I thought no, no, the cold makes me ache all over so I started a brusque walk around the property maybe seven times to get warm and energized. Basil and I picked peas and beans and after giving my prize beet as a gift, I pulled out 4 more. I know now why Chinese cabbage is often used as a sacrificial plants, the worms can chew on it but it still thrives. So I picked a plump one to cook “oumense onder die komberse” and the beet will go with it perfectly!
 

Khalbaloos

A friend, Safiyyah came to visit bearing gifts – test-tubes for Abu’s plant cloning and a Berber dessert called Khalbaloos. It’s made of semolina and almonds nuts and it is super syrupy and super delicious with a hot cup of tea - what more can a girl ask for? I am having everyone taste (well just a teeny weeny piecy) because Safiyyah and her husband Kamal intends selling them as Ramadhan treats inshaAllah. I think it will be perfect with Bulgarian yoghurt. I am definitely buying some. And in return I promised Safiyyah to place my Soji recipe on the blog.

But before I write it up a last word about what to cook for dinner. I always consult with my partner Abu what to cook. But (sad face) he complains, “You always ask me what should we have for supper but then you cook something completely different”. I don’t know hey,  most times I just need a sounding board to throw around some ideas. For instance today I consulted, decided yes the cabbage with beetroot salad will be perfect and ended up braising sausage with onions and tomatoes and basil and soft cubes of potatoes with fresh French loaves. Don’t worry Abu maybe I’ll make the cabbage tomorrow or the next. What can I say, I love surprises.

Soji

Pic from food.com

Ingredients

·         2 cups of Tasty wheat

·         250 g butter

·         1 ½ to 2 cups of sugar (depending on sweet tooth)

·         750 ml milk

·         1 small tin of nestle cream

·         1 ½ cups of finely grated carrot

·         1 tsp saffron threads

·         ½ cup water

·         ½ tsp salt

·         20 cardamom pods

·         5 sticks of cinnamon

·         2 handfuls sultanas

·         2 handfuls pistachio or roasted almond slivers

Preparation

Allow butter to melt slowly while adding cinnamon sticks and cardamom (bruise the pods with a rolling pin to unlock aromas).

Add the Tasty wheat and toss around with a tablespoon allowing it to be coated with butter and to brown to a warm gold colour. Then set aside.

In another saucepan bring milk to boil and allow to simmer with grated carrot,stir in the salt and sugar.

Add saffron threads to ½ a cup of boiling and water and nuke for a few seconds until the water is dark orange. (Some people use saffron powder or yellow colouring, I prefer not to colour it artificially because the saffron is not only used for the colour but also for its delicious flavor and taste)

In a biggish saucepan add Tasty wheat mixture, milk mixture and saffron water and stir briskly. Immediately the mixture will thicken like Stuiwe pap, toss in sultanans and nuts and finally stir in the tin of cream. Bring the temperature right down low and cover with baking paper or the paper of the butter slab and place the lid on top. Every few minutes stir vigorously to avoid soji sticking to the base of the pot. Enjoy!

Soji is generally served almost as hors d’oeuvres before the main meal – a small serving in a side plate with maybe some extra nuts for garnish. But this is so delicious that I don’t mind forgoing the meal.

Till the electricity has stabilized!

Plant food and keep warm!

Yasmine