Read Online The Hindi-Bindi Club by Monica Pradhan - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Monica Pradhan
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I thanked him for being so wonderful and told him I would cherish his gift forever. I tried to keep my tears from falling on the paper, but one hit the lower left corner and blurred two of the stars I drew beside a crescent moon. I wrote: “Always remember, we look up at the same sun, moon, and stars. Always remember, someone on the other side of the world wishes for you all the best. From my heart to yours, my love always, Preity.”
To this day, I don’t know if my letter reached Arsallan. Riya turned out to be a poor correspondent. She never answered my letters, and Arsallan never contacted me. This was before email. Before cheap international long-distance phone rates. The silence hurt, uncertainty plagued me, and the absence of my newly found-and-lost family and friends felt like a cruel joke. For months, my heart felt weighted by rocks, drowned at the bottom of a cold, murky sea. But life went on, as it always does, the currents dragging you along, whether you want to go with the flow or not.
In time, new people entered and exited, new experiences made my heart soar and sink again. As daily dramas unfolded,
today
s morphed into
yesterday
s with increasing velocity. Current events took center stage and pushed history further back into memory. I thought of my holiday in Goa less and less, but I never forgot.
I have never forgotten.
----
FROM :
“Preity Lindstrom”
TO :
Kiran Deshpande; Rani Tomashot
SENT :
December 10, 20XX 09:25 AM
SUBJECT :
RE: A blast from the past…
Kiran, good to hear from you. Welcome home. And yes, I did hear it through the Hindi-Bindi Grapevine.
;-) Said grapevine has kept me informed of happenings in both of your lives over the years…BTW, Rani, I hear congrats are in order! A =solo= exhibit. YAY FOR YOU!!!
It’s been way too long since the three of us were in the same place at the same time. We’re overdue for a play date.;-)
Preity
----
Preity’s Goan Shrimp Curry
SERVES 4–6
SHRIMP:
1½ pounds large shrimp, uncooked, peeled and deveined
1 teaspoon cayenne powder (adjust to preference)
½
teaspoon turmeric powder
1. Grab a pair of disposable kitchen gloves so your hands won’t stink.
2. In a colander, rinse shrimp under cold running water. Drain and transfer thawed shrimp to large glass bowl.
3. Sprinkle with cayenne and turmeric. Use your hands to evenly coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes.
GRAVY:
1-inch piece of tamarind (from slab)
1 cup hot water
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
5 curry leaves* (kadhi patta)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh ginger root, peeled and chopped
1 fresh green chili pepper,* finely chopped (adjust to preference)
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 14-ounce can coconut milk
½
teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
1 teaspoon sugar (adjust to taste)
fresh coconut slivers (optional)
1. In a small glass bowl, soak the tamarind in hot water. Set aside.
2. In a wok or deep 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and stir-fry until translucent, about 2–3 minutes.
3. Reduce heat to medium. Add curry leaves, garlic, ginger, and chili. Sauté for 1 minute.
4. Add coriander and cumin. Sauté for 2 minutes.
5. Add coconut milk and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
6. Reduce heat to low, partially cover, and simmer to thicken gravy, about 10–15 minutes.
7. When tamarind is soft, mash through wire strainer. Reserve pulp and juices. Discard solids.
8. Add shrimp, tamarind, salt, and sugar to the gravy. Simmer uncovered until shrimp turns pink, about 2–5 minutes.
9. Remove from heat. Remove curry leaves. Garnish with fresh coconut slivers. Serve with plain, boiled rice.*
* Preity’s Tips:
Wear disposable kitchen gloves when handling seafood and chopping chilies.
For kids and wimps, stir plain nonfat yogurt into their servings to cool down the
To this day, I don’t know if my letter reached Arsallan. Riya turned out to be a poor correspondent. She never answered my letters, and Arsallan never contacted me. This was before email. Before cheap international long-distance phone rates. The silence hurt, uncertainty plagued me, and the absence of my newly found-and-lost family and friends felt like a cruel joke. For months, my heart felt weighted by rocks, drowned at the bottom of a cold, murky sea. But life went on, as it always does, the currents dragging you along, whether you want to go with the flow or not.
In time, new people entered and exited, new experiences made my heart soar and sink again. As daily dramas unfolded,
today
s morphed into
yesterday
s with increasing velocity. Current events took center stage and pushed history further back into memory. I thought of my holiday in Goa less and less, but I never forgot.
I have never forgotten.
----
FROM :
“Preity Lindstrom”
TO :
Kiran Deshpande; Rani Tomashot
SENT :
December 10, 20XX 09:25 AM
SUBJECT :
RE: A blast from the past…
Kiran, good to hear from you. Welcome home. And yes, I did hear it through the Hindi-Bindi Grapevine.
;-) Said grapevine has kept me informed of happenings in both of your lives over the years…BTW, Rani, I hear congrats are in order! A =solo= exhibit. YAY FOR YOU!!!
It’s been way too long since the three of us were in the same place at the same time. We’re overdue for a play date.;-)
Preity
----
Preity’s Goan Shrimp Curry
SERVES 4–6
SHRIMP:
1½ pounds large shrimp, uncooked, peeled and deveined
1 teaspoon cayenne powder (adjust to preference)
½
teaspoon turmeric powder
1. Grab a pair of disposable kitchen gloves so your hands won’t stink.
2. In a colander, rinse shrimp under cold running water. Drain and transfer thawed shrimp to large glass bowl.
3. Sprinkle with cayenne and turmeric. Use your hands to evenly coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes.
GRAVY:
1-inch piece of tamarind (from slab)
1 cup hot water
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
5 curry leaves* (kadhi patta)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh ginger root, peeled and chopped
1 fresh green chili pepper,* finely chopped (adjust to preference)
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 14-ounce can coconut milk
½
teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
1 teaspoon sugar (adjust to taste)
fresh coconut slivers (optional)
1. In a small glass bowl, soak the tamarind in hot water. Set aside.
2. In a wok or deep 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and stir-fry until translucent, about 2–3 minutes.
3. Reduce heat to medium. Add curry leaves, garlic, ginger, and chili. Sauté for 1 minute.
4. Add coriander and cumin. Sauté for 2 minutes.
5. Add coconut milk and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
6. Reduce heat to low, partially cover, and simmer to thicken gravy, about 10–15 minutes.
7. When tamarind is soft, mash through wire strainer. Reserve pulp and juices. Discard solids.
8. Add shrimp, tamarind, salt, and sugar to the gravy. Simmer uncovered until shrimp turns pink, about 2–5 minutes.
9. Remove from heat. Remove curry leaves. Garnish with fresh coconut slivers. Serve with plain, boiled rice.*
* Preity’s Tips:
Wear disposable kitchen gloves when handling seafood and chopping chilies.
For kids and wimps, stir plain nonfat yogurt into their servings to cool down the
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