From my kitchen to yours

From my kitchen to yours

Sunday, August 7, 2011

DAY 58 : SO WHO SAYS IM CHICKEN




So how many of of you have been called "Chicken' or the more
colloquial "Darpok"...
I don't know about the rest of the world but , I have been called that
by some of my friends , sometimes by my acquaintances, at various
points of time and for a variety of reasons...
And me being me..often
rises to the bait , but mostly have smiled and stayed chicken ,
because felt that I would get into more trouble if I did. than stayed
chicken and didn't .....

And yes sometimes I feel thank God "I'M CHICKEN"
and sometimes I really wish I could just do what I felt like without thinking...

As much as I like to be "L'il Ms Dare-devil"...think what I do is
actually sometimes take the more difficult way out..

It is more difficult to not go with the flow than actually just swim
with the tide...

This world of ours is filled with really different people and we all do meet a large part of the world at least once..
I mean our paths do cross one another even it it is for a fleeting nano second
at least ...
On the road, in a theatre, at an airport, at a park, in a restaurant ,jogging, eating, swimming, trekking....
Gosh the possibilities are limitless...

As for me I have met innumerable people in my life , also because my job profile was to meet people
And it was a fantastic learning experience..because like we all are aware, no two people are ever really like..
We may appear to be alike ..and sometimes we are put in boxes ,depending on where we come from, the colour of our skin , our religion, our blood group or then our star sign...
And that's whats makes this world of ours so interesting ..

Some times we connect with people we meet , some times we just can't stand the person on sight, sometimes its love or lust, some just put a wide naughty smile on your face, some people make us laugh, and then some piss us off, some people stay on the fringes,some no matter how
much you like, all you do is fight, some you let in...some you have to let go off, even though your heart is breaking into a million pieces...

When I look back in retrospect, I also wonder "WHAT IF"...

How many of the friends I have in my life would actually be part of my life if we did not meet the way we did ...

And like Hrithik's character in "Zindagi nahi milega dobaara" say's when he has had a wee bit extra wine, " I think its all written in the stars"...
Frankly....... (Wine sometimes makes you say really .philosophical stuff or
then gets you in a whole lot of trouble )....

But I do completely believe in that theory...I do...

Everything is written in the Stars...
Who we meet, who we become friends with, who we go out with , who we break up with,who breaks our heart, whose heart we break, who makes us mad, who makes us sad, who makes our heart beat like its going to rip apart, who puts that unstoppable smile on our face, who makes us cross to the other side when we see them , who we sometimes hide from, who you call, who calls you, who returns your calls , whose call and sms's you wait for, who sends you flowers, who sends you songs, who brings magic, who destroys your peace who makes you feel like you
don't want this day/night to ever end, who stops you in your tracks,who takes your breath away,
who will always stay in your heart, who you will stay connected to no matter what the circumstances, who you will fight for , who you cant fight with,who forgives you , who you will forgive, who you cant stay upset with, who drives you crazy, who you will grieve for, who you will run after, who you will avoid, who robs your sleep, who puts you to sleep....hmmmmm

Well I believe its all written in the stars and so we should live and let life be lived...
Letting the adventure unfold..
And like my friend Amit says, ''In life always go straight and take the right turns"

Being an impulsive person by nature, I have many times been in a place where all I wanna do is jump into the unknown....

And sometimes feel I'm completely FREAKIN CHICKEN....
And wish I could actually jump into the deep blue and just dive into whatever awaits me
Because beneath the turbulent surface is a calm that's magical..
But how many of us can actually get through....

I was watching Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and Dumbledore says, "Words are an inexhaustible source of Magic"
AND IT JUST STAYED WITH ME....

Is it because of what we say to one another ,that determines our paths...

I mostly put my foot in my mouth...
I mostly never hold back from what I have to say because of what I'm feeling..(I would like
like to keep quiet though, but my heart never ever listens to my really smart and patient brain ...damn)
So does that make me" cool" or "chicken'
I also know fully well as those words have left my lips, that I should have "Shut Up"....
Sometimes I have called someone knowing fully well ,this is a very bad idea, but still went through with it ...

And with this thought I wanted to make , "Buffalo wings"...
Yes ..yes.. I know buffalo"s don't have wings...
And this dish is made with chicken...Poor Chicken.......

So here for you today..

Spicy buffalo wings

3 dozen chicken wing pieces (one wing makes 2 pieces - the "flat" and the "drum")
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tsp salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons Mummy's East-Indian Bottle Masala
4 tbsp butter

Pre-heat the oven to 170 degrees
Well take the wings and add the oil to it and the flour , and shake it
all together so that the wings are well coated..
Then spread it on a double foil and bake it for 20 minutes on either side...
While the wings are getting baked...

I was thinking of the past ..
As a kid , my cousin Linus and all of us were hanging on the terrace of my aunts house, fortunately it was just one level , and we got into an argument about , girls being chicken and guys have more guts..and it lead to lets see if you can jump from here down...

Very very foolish.. but just to prove that 'Girls can do as well or better" , before anyone could say Jack Robinson , I leaped down into the plants below...
Well I looked at him smug as a bug ,with leaves in my hair and dirt on my hands and knees, only to be given a tight slap by my mum...She was so upset and mad all together...

Then again I have jumped into my Granma's well in front of her house,because I was bored and my mum and aunt's came and sat around, asking me to come out, because there were water snakes, and if any of them came anywhere near me , I would drown in fright..
Well I was blissfully unaware of the slimy creatures...

Then as much as I'm frightened of the deep blue sea, I love deep sea diving, its magical and given a chance I will do it again...
It was not easy at all, because I'm not a big sea person, but it was just too inviting and irresistible ...

I have bungee jumped twice in my life and

Hopefully will sky dive very very soon...

Well back to my Buffalo wing's

On a low flame combine the rest of the ingredients, and bring to a
boil so that the masala's are not left raw...
But be very careful that it does not burn...
Switch the flame off
When the wings are done in the oven..
Empty the cooked wings into the big pan filled with sauce and very
quickly on a medium flame , toss it around for just 5 minutes...So
that its really well coated...At this point i also add honey..it just
adds the right amount of sweetness to the craziness of the spice...I
don't have a measurement, I just pour till I think its enough...

Serve it really hot....
This is really quick and easy and gets swiped leaving everyone teary eyed...
So if you want to tone the spicy content please feel free...

So here's presenting,"So who says I'm Chicken", Hot and spicy wings, served with a whole lot of thinking moments , only from "Maria's Kitchen"....

Thought I should share something I wrote...

''You make me say stuff , you never say ..
You laugh when I try to walk away..
You behave like it does not matter whether I'm there or far away...
Feel like a gypsy, where every path leads to a new magical stair-way...
Pondering...
Should I gather my ruffles and climb up..
Or simply be me and gallop away ....

So should we jump into the unknown , or just stay in the confines of our comfort zone....
Well life has taught me that there are no guarantees , whether you stay in
the sun or dive into the cool blue sea...
And frankly just live life on your terms, it does not really matter who thinks you are chicken or not..
What matters is that you when you leap, leap into a space that makes you happy, that fills your heart with so much Peace, Love and Happiness, that you don't feel the need to eat or sleep and puts a smile on your face that UN-WIPE ABLE...

It may or may not be a forever but think that time will be the happiest and
you will not have to ever say 'WHAT IF''........


13 comments:

  1. wonderful thoughts Maria. I'll try my best to have a life without any regrets.

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  2. You're a lovely person, Maria. The things and events you mention in your blogs are so heartfelt and genuine, soulful writing indeed! You make one want to sit back and think, and very few people are able to do that.

    Have a lovely day and i look forward to your next post. :-)

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  3. Hey Maria! I've been following your blog since I asked you for the URL, just got to share my feedback now. Wow! How to describe your style of writing, I think it's just 'you'. What you write is so honest, so soulful n spiritual, so philosophical, yet so casual n lucid - and it's very very inspiring! Your writing has a unique personality, character of it's own and am assuming is not much different than the wonderful person you yourself are! And sorry I just skip the recipes in the middle, as am not much of a cooking enthusiast, but will make sure to forward to people who are. However I do appreciate that the recipe is the central piece and the words around it are contextual and sort of lead you to it! Don't know if you already are, but you should make more out of these, you could make a serious career out of writing! I write a few bits now and then, but your writing is inspiring me to write continuously! It takes you to a different world! Cheers!

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  4. Dear Anonymous,
    Thank you so much for reading ...
    And the fact is I'm trying too..
    And that's always a good positive beginning ....

    Dear Cressida,
    WOW!!!! Thank you so much ....That is reward enough ....

    Dear Mukesh,
    HA HA HA you do'nt have to be sorry about skipping the recipes, a lot of people skip everything but the recipe, and that's all fine by me ...
    I do'nt know about a serious career in writing...Because frankly , I'm not a purist when it comes to writing, but happy that a few people do connect with it ..
    Thank you so much for your warm encouragement ....

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  5. hie maria....include me also into those few people...i dunno how ur recipes wud taste but i will take some printouts of it and paas it on to my aunt and later my mom....ur writing is typical u...n ur attitude over the screen (in a cooking show) is very contagious, after watching u even i feel good frm within (till now dnt know the reason y????)...chow for now :)

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  6. Dear Saquib,
    That's very sweet , thank you so much ..
    Ciao..

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  7. very very well written, so loved each and every word.....truly thought-provoking Maria, specially the last few lines...would try and live by what you said...."And frankly just live life on your terms...."
    and be fabulous cook like you someday.... :)
    stay well and keep that sunshine smile on.

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  8. Hey!to be or not to be this is the question & it always remains there in our lives.Our lives are full of questions.Some question are to be answered & some are better be ignored.but the actual question is,'Which question is to be answered & which one is to be ignored?'
    See,i read this blog & i am behaving like a chicken now..:)
    Any ways...it's very well written & It's really touchy!

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  9. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  10. Hey Maria,

    That was so very well written..it touched my heart! Lovely thoughts..u'd make a brilliant author! Keep up the good work!

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  11. Hey, just wanted u to know that I have linked to your blog on my latest post... acknowledging inspiration and all that :) do read when you have the time!
    http://theweekendepicurean.blogspot.com/2011/08/moodiness-and-muri-mixture.html

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  12. Dear Priyanka,
    Thank you so much for your kind words...

    Dear Merly,
    If I new which questions i should answer and which ones I should not..life would be a piece of cake...and terribly boring ha ha

    Dear Ifrah,
    Wow.. Thank you for the encouragement ...

    Dear Swati,
    I read it, it's lovely and thank you...

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  13. Hey!
    Completely loved your post. Started following you on twitter recently. Thy made me wanna read ur blog.
    I must say, something written from the heart reaches another one. N tats y I love ur posts.
    Can relate to every word.
    It's the kind of life I have. Though I've never got an opportunity of sea divin. Wud love to! N yes, I'm really scared of water.
    I hav loads to say. But gonna sign off by sayin tht
    You're awesome! Continue writin n makin me feel good about life !
    Tripthee

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