A Portrait of L.O.V.E

Sabby's home office Mac setup

2014-10-04T00:31:00.002+09:30

Core Apple hardware includes the following:

iMac: 21.5 inch, Core i5 Turbo boost 3.2GHz, 16GB memory ram, 1TB Fusion Drive, Intel Iris Pro Graphics, OS X, apple wireless keyboard and mouse.
Macbook Air: 13.5 inch, Core i7 Turbo boost 2,7GHz, 8GB memory ram, 512GB flash storage, Intel HD Graphics 5000, OS X.
iPhone 5, 64GB
iPad mini Retina Display, 64GB
Printer: HP Photosmart 5520, wireless, air print

#mysetup #apple #mac #macsetup

Introducing our precious baby boy...

2011-05-26T13:02:00.001+09:30

(click on picture to view in larger size)

Mona's first school's Certificate for Outstanding Achievement in Learning

2011-05-14T13:33:00.000+09:30

This past Thursday Mona came back home with her very first school certificate!!
She was super happy and all excited about it and I was so happy to see her that excited.
After our short burst of joy and excitement, when we finally calmed down, I asked her to tell me the story of how she got the certificate and this is what Mona told me happened:

"That day, there was school Assembly and all the kids were sitting in the big hall, everybody was there, the Principal, the teachers, and all the kids.
The principal of the school was calling the good kids on the stage to give them a certificate because they had been good boys and girls.
In my class, Charlie and me were the only kids to be called up on the stage!
I don't remember what she was saying about us, because there was so much noise, but I heard my name and the teacher told me to go on stage to get my certificate. And that's it!!"

She asked me to put the certificate on the fridge, so we can see it everyday!

I am so proud of my big girl, not even two weeks in, and she is already getting awards and certificates!

I hope they keep coming baby,

cause you make mama and papa proud of you!

Good job honey!

Love of my life...

2011-05-11T01:55:00.002+09:30

I don't remember what my life was like before I became a mother!

I mean sure, I do remember what I was doing back then but I honestly don't remember the feeling anymore...

In March 2006, a little creature we shall call Mona, arrived into my arms at the break of dawn. Oh what a precious little angel!!

My eyes stung with tears of joy, my lips bursting out praises and gratitude to the Lord - and all the while staring at her precious little face and her eyes wide open - she wasn't a stranger to me, but instead someone I had always known... in my dreams... in my heart... in my forever!!!

Ah motherhood! It's hard isn't it?!!

I find a new challenge every single day, but I also find many victories both large and small.

And when my little one opened up my bedroom door this past Mother's day morning with a big smile on her face bearing her gifts of gratitude to the awesomeness of her mother (because let's be honest - we are all rock stars in their eyes if only for a short while!), I couldn't help but remember that moment of looking into her face for the very first time and seeing my forever... when the rest of my world got tucked away into the faded memory box!

I hope you all had a wonderful Mother's day filled with the beauty of a homemade card, the delight of a slightly overcooked breakfast, the happiness of a present you always wanted and the heartwarming feeling of those tiny arms wrapped around you in an expression of pure love!

We are all so very fortunate - us women, to experience this. No book could ever prepare your heart for this journey!!

We attend to, baby sit, care, consider, foster, keep an eye on, keep tabs on, look after, mind, minister, mother, nurse, nurture, pray for, pay attention to, protect, provide for, take pains, tend, treasure, wait on, watch over, have countless sleepless nights...... just another day of being a fabulous mom!

And I can't wait to start this adventure all over again, while doubling the fun!!!

Happy Mother's Day to every 'Rock Stars' out there!

Big Girl's School

2011-05-03T18:31:00.000+09:30

Monday 2nd May 2011, the day Mona officially joined the 'Big Kids School Club'! If you don't know what I am talking about, well yesterday was actually her first full day at Primary School, she is in Reception Year.

It was a smooth sailing day...

We woke up early, got ready, had breakfast together and talked about what we were expecting of the day!

Like I said, it was a smooth sailing day...

No cries, no tears, no fears...

neither from Mona, nor mum, nor dad..

I've never seen anyone THAT excited to go to school...

she was so happy, exuberantly happy, and so impatient to get there!!

One of the most exciting part of being at this particular school, is for one the location, the fact that it is just a few minutes walk from our house is awesome!
The school is among the best rated school in South Australia. It comprises a harmonious multicultural community where diversity is valued withing a family friendly atmosphere. Parents are encouraged to participate in and volunteer for different activities in their child's classroom.
The fact that the Principal was happy to know that we are Baha'is, and when she learned that we were Baha'is, she proceeded to assured me that her school is very proud in encouraging moral values in everyday school life.

And the most exciting part for Mona, is that they teach Chinese (Mandarin) at this school. The School also offers an international study program as well as a primary and secondary study aboard program.
Mona actually had her first class of Mandarin on her first day of school.

Here in Australia, we have Reception Year, which is a preparatory class for children aged 5 to 6.
It is the first year of Primary School,(actually named Junior Primary School in South Australia) and is followed by Year 1 and Year 2.
Year 3 to Year 7 is called Primary School, which is then followed by High School (Secondary School) from Year 8 to Year 12.

Pupils start school either in the term or in the year in which they reach five, and have to do at least 3 terms of Reception before moving to Year 1.

So luckily for Mona, since she turned five last March, she only had to do 3 terms in Reception before moving up to Year 1. Whereas children born after March, have to do 2 terms and a full year in Reception before being able to move to Year 1.

As we embark on this new journey and phase of our lives, which we are sure is going to be exhilarating, with lots of ups and downs... we hope you enjoyed the pictures of Mona's first day of Primary School, as much as we enjoyed seeing her blossom into this young lady she is becoming!

Baby Boy Moving at 34 weeks pregnant!

2011-04-24T22:30:00.000+09:30

Just a quick and short video of our baby boy moving inside my tummy at 34 weeks of pregnancy!
There are no kicks, he was just moving and stretching his limbs inside of there!

Baby boy is pushing upwards and my skin is just stretching and it hurts sometimes (you can hear me in pain at times during the video!)

If I have to describe how it feels like, well I guess that's how it would feel if there was a little alien inside my tummy trying to get out through my skin!! lol

Hope you enjoy the video!

As Always,

Thanks for watching!

Mona at the footy game

2011-04-04T00:42:00.000+09:30

We took Mona to the footy game last weekend, that's Australian Football League, for those of you who are not familiar with it.

Last time we took her to the footy, she was about 2 years old and didn't show much interest in the whole thing.
But now that she is 5 and gets what the footy is all about, she had a blast!!

The fun and best part for her at the footy, was the cheering and all the yelling she was allow to do!! :))

Hope you enjoy the video! Go POWER!!!

As always, thanks for watching!
Please don't forget to 'like', 'favorite' and 'subscribe' after watching the video!

Naw-Ruz Gifts 2011

2011-03-23T03:30:00.001+10:30

Along with Ayyam-i-Ha, Naw-Ruz is for Baha'i children a very special time for sharing and gifts giving!

I have great memories from my childhood and my most favorites ones are always from Naw-Ruz & Ayyam-i-Ha celebrations with my family in Mauritius.
I remember the anticipation and joy it was to wait for Naw-Ruz day to open our gifts...
I remember the new outfits and shoes we got to wear for Naw-Ruz...
I remember visiting families and getting more gifts and envelopes full of money...
I remember the long fun day at the beach with all the Baha'i friends of Mauritius on the day of Naw-Ruz...
Naw-Ruz, almost always, brings back sweet memories from my childhood and past.

I hope to be able to create the same fond memories for my children to treasure when they grow up!

Here are some pictures of Mona opening her Naw-Ruz gifts from mum & dad:

A set of 5 games for children.
We of course had to try all of them on that night with her and it was so much fun playing Bingo, Rummi, tic tac toe & checkers with her... she quickly got the hang of the games and how to play them! The only one we haven't tried playing yet is another card game called 'war'.

I think Mona had been asking me for roller skates for about a year now, and we haven't been able to find any in her sizes, despite our efforts to search in all the toys stores in the city... that is until now...
She was just elated when she opened the box and saw that it was roller skates!
She exclaimed in disbelief:
"Oh My gosh! I can't believe my eyes!! I wanted roller skates for ages!! How did you know!!"

She spent the entire evening with the roller skates on. At first she was a bit scared and needed the help of daddy to go around the house, but then she got confidence and is now rolling away by herself.
And this morning, it was the first thing she asked for when she woke up and she had her skates on till it was bed time for time!
I'm so happy she loved her Naw-Ruz gifts!

Happy Naw-Ruz my darling! We love you!!

Traditional Persian Naw-Ruz dish - Sabzi Polow Ba Mahi

2011-03-23T02:52:00.001+10:30

A few years ago, I learned about the very traditional Persian dish that people in Iran eat for Naw-Ruz, it's the Sabzi Polow Ba Mani (Persian Rice with herbs & greens accompanied with Fish).

One thing that you might have noticed in Persian cuisine is the abundance with which fresh herbs are used. Many famous and well-loved Persian dishes contains herbs (sabzi) as their main ingredients. And there is a very good reason for that! Fresh herbs symbolize rebirth. This is very appropriate for this time of year as the arrival of spring brings new life in nature.

It is also customary in Iran to eat fish on the first day of the new year, as it symbolizes life.

And the combination of Sabzi Polow and Fish goes extremely well together!

This year I decided to make this traditional dish for Naw-Ruz, as my dear friend (and previous neighbour) Mana, was really missing her family and her beloved Iran lately.

So here is a picture of our little family having our traditional Persian dish of Sabzi Polow Ba Mahi on Naw-Ruz day.

Our Haft-Sin Table, Naw-Ruz 2011

2011-03-23T02:24:00.001+10:30

Haft-Sin or the seven 'S's is a traditional Persian table setting for Naw-Ruz, the Iranian Spring Celebration (New Year). Today the haft-sin table includes seven specific items, all starting with the sin (Sā) in the Persian alphabet. Originally called Haftchin (Haftĉin), the Haft Sin has evolved over time, but has kept its symbolism. Traditionally, families attempt to set the most aesthetically appealing Haft-Sin table they can as an expression of traditional, spiritual, and social value, for visitors during Eid Didani (Naw-Ruz visitations).

Our Haft-Sin Table this year included the following:

1. Sabzi - Wheat sprouts growing in a dish, symbolizing rebirth.
2. Senjed - Dried Fruit of Lotus tree, symbolizing love.
3. Sir - Garlic, symbolizing medicine & health.
4. Sib - Apple, symbolizing beauty & health
5. Somaq - Crushed sumac berries, symbolizing the color of sunrise (the sun conquers evil).
6. Serkeh - Vinegar, symbolizing age and patience.
7. Sekkeh - Coins, symbolizing prosperity.

Other additional 'S' items are optional. On our table we have added:

- Decorated Eggs, symbolizing fertility.

- Candles, symbolizing energy, enlightenment & happiness.

- Gold fish, symbolizing life.

- Mirror, symbolizing cleanliness, honesty and truth.

- Pastries, symbolizing sweetness.

- Dried nuts, berries & raisins.

- A watch

- Divan of Hafez (Persian poetry book).

- Baha'i Prayer book.

- A picture frame of 'Abdu'l-Baha with Shoghi Effendi.

- Some of the Naw-Ruz gifts for our little family.

And of course we now have two new addition to the family!

Meet Jojo & Goldie.

Happy Naw-Ruz!

Eide Shoma Mobarak!

Happy Naw-Ruz 2011

2011-03-21T23:13:00.002+10:30

Last evening, after sunset to be exact, was the Baha'i Naw-Ruz (new year celebration), which lasted up till sunset today (21st of March).

So dear friends and loved ones,

we wish you all a very joyous Naw-Ruz!!

May you all be blessed, loved

and kept under His wings of protection all year round.

Here is a little video of Mona performing, along with her little friends, at the Naw-Ruz celebration last night.

The little children, aged between 4 and 5, performed the very well known and loved Baha'i song entitled "We are Drops". They each displayed the art work they created for the song at their Baha'i Children Classes.
After the song, Mona had the opportunity to recite the Baha'i Prayer by Baha'u'llah on 'Unity', a prayer that they have just started to learn at their Baha'i Children Classes.

Hope you enjoy the video and once again...

from our family to yours,

we wish you all a very Happy & Joyous Naw-Ruz!!

Pregnancy Midnight Cravings

2011-03-15T01:01:00.000+10:30

This is usually what I go for when the midnight cravings hits in:

Peanut butter and jelly sandwich with banana and a cup of Tea with milk.

But there are days when I just go for toast with butter and a cup of Tea with milk.

A cup of Tea with milk is always involved in my midnight cravings... always!!!

Pregnancy breakfast cravings

2011-03-15T00:54:00.000+10:30

People who knows me well, are well aware that I rarely eat anything for breakfast.
And since being pregnant again, there are some days where I cannot for the life of me put a single thing in my mouth in the morning (I put the blame on the morning sickness)!

But there are days, when I wake up and all I want to eat is this:

Spicy fried taters with eggs, tomato sauce and a glass full of Mango nectar juice!!

I have no idea how I can stomach this full plate of greasy, fat meal for breakfast, but some days, it's all I really want to eat on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday .... you get the idea!

Crazy weird pregnancy craving I guess...

We decided...

2011-03-13T23:27:00.001+10:30

... that life needed to get more exciting!!

Mona and Me at week 18 of pregnancy!

My tummy view from top at weeks 24 of pregnancy.

My tummy at week 29 of pregnancy...

Mona & Me at week 29 of pregnancy.

Ayyam-I-Ha ... let the celebrations begin...

2011-02-15T01:25:00.000+10:30

Ayyam-i-Ha celebrations are fast approaching and I thought I shared with you what our plans are for this year's Intercalary Days. I've blogged about Ayyam-i-Ha before here, but for those of you who are first time readers of the blog, let me explain very briefly what it is.
Ayyam-i-Ha (The Intercalary Days) is the time of gift giving and sharing, celebration and service for all Baha'is around the world. It lasts for 4 days (5 on leap year) from 26th February to 1st of March.

I absolutely love everything about Ayyam-i-Ha, because of all the wonderful memories I have from growing up. And now that our family is growing too, I wanted to make sure we start creating our own family traditions for Ayyam-i-Ha. And I think that one of the things that makes holidays so special is the traditions that we create around them.

We were inspired to make this 19 day countdown Ayyam-i-Ha calendar and banner from a another Baha'i blog last year.

Our beautiful Ayyam-i-Ha banner and calendar that is hung on the walls of our living room was created by our handy dandy assigned tailor, aka my adorable husband! We chose the fabrics together and I gave him the instructions and vision of how I wanted it to be and this is the wonderful results of his hard work. I am so proud to have a crafty hubby like him.

So we have 19 pockets for each day of the month leading to Ayyam-i-Ha. In each pockets we have a little treat for Mona with either a quote on Ayyam-i-Ha or a little history of the Baha'i Faith to read together.
On the 20th day, which is the day Ayyam-i-Ha begins, we have a bigger treat and a clue for a treasure hunt for her to go find her little Ayyam-i-Ha gifts, which we will repeat for the 4 days of Ayyam-i-Ha.

We already put on our playlist the 'Ayyam-i-Ha party' recording of Mr William Sears and children. So we definitely got our Ayyam-i-Ha songs and spirit ready!

This year as a service project, Mona has decided to sort out her toys and put aside of box of toys to give away to children who don't have many toys to play with.

We also decided to bake star and heart shaped cookies together and decorate them with all sorts of fun and colourful icing and sprinkles.
We want to put the cookies in little bags along with some handmade cards that we are going to create and adorned with glitter and Baha'i prayers or quotes. We want to share the little cookie gift bags to our close friends and family during the Ayyam-i-Ha celebrations.

I also wanted to host an Ayyam-i-Ha party for the children this year, but unfortunately considering the state I am in right now, I don't think I will be able to manage all of it this year. Hopefully next year I will be able to do more. We also have a couple of Ayyam-i-Ha parties to attend, so we will be very busy on the last days of February!

The very good thing about our Ayyam-i-Ha calendar is that it is completely detachable from the banner.

We used Velcro to hold the banner and the 20 pockets calendar together.

We are actually planning to use the calendar as a countdown for The Fast and Naw-Ruz. We want to make a 'Happy Naw-Ruz' Banner too.
We really want Mona to start becoming aware of the difference between Ayyam-i-Ha and the Fasting period (19 days). We are planning to have little stories or quotes for each pocket during the Fast and other specific instructions like to help set the table for dinner, to learn a new Baha'i prayer etc. And on the 20th day there would be a little surprise for her in the pocket.
We really hope that this is will help Mona to better understand the importance of this spiritual time.

So what are you planning or have planned for the celebrations of Ayyam-i-Ha? I would love to hear from you all in the comments section below.

Children's Stories From The Dawn-Breakers
Prayers for Young Baha'is
Baha'i Children's Workbook

Boulettes Chouchou Recipe (Choko Meatballs Recipe)

2011-02-07T18:39:00.000+10:30

Port-Louis is the capital city of Mauritius, the place I was born and grew up in!
When you travel to Mauritius and it's capital city, you have to be prepared for a colourful, turbulent and adventurous experience and let Port-Louis sweep you away!
There are several overlapping versions of this place, each independent and seemingly the only one; the people living inside of them are not aware that just next door there is another piece of the same cake, 'farata' (roti/naan bread) of the dough, 'bouillon brede' (leafy soup) from the same plant, 'bryani' (typical mauritian rice dish) from the same pot and 'boulettes' (meat, fish or vegetables balls) from the same broth going on.
But, at last, they all mingle and form this one unique sizzling brew called Port-Louis, the capital of Mauritius, famous for its heat, traffic jams, street vendors, great food stands and weekly markets.
And if there is definately one thing not to miss while in Port-Louis is to stop by 'La Rue Royale' (Royal Street) for it's famous 'boulettes' (meat/fish/vegetables balls) food stand. And one of the most loved boulettes is of course the 'Boulettes Chouchou' (Choko Meatballs).

The choko meatballs are made with choko of course (chouchou as we call them in Mauritius), prawn, pork or beef or lamb. We also usually eat the 'Boulettes Chouchou' (choko meatballs) with a broth (soup) that also contains fish balls, and wantans etc...
So here is my version of the 'Boulettes Chouchou' (Choko Meatballs) Recipe:

Ingredients needed:
- 600 grams grated chokoes, drained
- 300 grams minced pork (or beef, or lamb)
- 200 grams minced green prawns, shelled
- 1 medium onion finely chopped or grated
- 3 to 4 tablespoons cornflour
- 1 to 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 1 to 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- Salt to taste

To prepare the 'Boulettes Chouchou', you need to first shell and de-vein the prawns.
Finely chop the prawns to a minced meat consistency, then put aside in the fridge.
Before preparing the chokoes for this dish, it is best to protect your hands, as the juice from the chokoes will leave a dry, stickly skin like thing on your hands. I used gloves, but you can also rub oil over your hands.
Now that your hands are protected, go ahead and peel the chokoes. Cut them into quarters and trim away the peel and center bits. Soak the chokoes into cold water. Then corsely grate the chokoes and put aside in another dish. Hand strain the grated chokoes and allow to drain in a colander.
Finely chop the medium onion and mix it with the mince pork (or beef) and minced prawns. Season well with salt to taste. Add the light soy sauce and fish sauce and mix well by hand. Add the grated chokoes and mix well into the pork (or beef) and prawn mixture. Gradually mix in the cornflour and hand mix well.
Cover with cling wrap and put in the fridge for 20 mins.
Meanwhile, prepare the steamer and put on slow simmer.
Using little quantities of the mixture, make small meatballs of approximately 3cm in diameter.
Place the meatballs in the steamer and allow to simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until cooked.
Check by breaking one meatball in half to see if it is cooked inside.
Enjoy this delightful 'Boulettes Chouchou' either as a snack, served with chilli sauce or with other 'boulettes' (fish balls, wantans, dim sim etc) in a broth.
And always sprinkle with finely chopped chives or spring onions and chilli sauce of course!

Oh man.... I'm hungry again!! ;))

The Best of Mauritian Cooking

Mauritius

Mauritius Travel Pack (Globetrotter Travel Packs)

Lonely Planet Mauritius Reunion & Seychelles (Multi Country Guide)

Chocolate Croissants Recipe (Pain au Chocolat)

2011-02-07T00:38:00.000+10:30

This is my quick and easy, I should rather say 'my cheat' way of making "Pain au Chocolat" (Chocolate Croissants), for those lazy Sunday morning breakfast.

You only need 3 simple ingredients to make those:
- Puff pastry sheets (1 sheet makes 4 croissants)
- Melted cooking chocolate (or Nutella, or chocolate squares)
- 1 egg

Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
Take one sheet of puff pastry and cut it into 4 long rectangle strips.
Spread some of the melted chocolate on each strip of puff pastry.
Roll each strip of puff pastry onto themselves to form a little square.
Brush some egg on the little squares and place into oven until each 'Pain au chocolat' are cooked, puffed and golden in colour (approx 10 to 15 mins).

The "Pain au Chocolat" are best served with a nice cup of tea.

Enjoy!

Salade Mangues Recipe (Mango Salade)

2011-02-05T00:42:00.000+10:30

I am so sad that Mango season is almost over here in South Australia.
This is one dish that you absolutely have to try if you love Mangoes!!!

In Mauritius we make this Mango Salad and leave it to stand in the sun for about 1/2 hour, and just writing this down is making my mouth water and bringing my childhood memories back!!
Gosh how I miss home and the food from home!!

For this 'Salade Mangues' (Mango Salad) you will need:
- 2 to 4 big mangoes (half ripe are the best!)
- Green or red chillies (as much or as little as you like)
- White vinegar
- Sugar to taste

To prepare your 'Salade Mangue', you need a large salad bowl.
Wash and peel the mangoes and cut the mango flesh into thin bite size pieces and put into the salad bowl.
Chop the chillies and add to the bowl. Add the white vinegar. The vinegar is what will make the sauce or dressing if your like, so start by adding a little at first and taste and see as you go.
Add Sugar to taste. Then leave the mango salad to stand for about 30 mins under the sun preferably.

Enjoy the yummiest mouth watering mango salad ever!

The Best of Mauritian Cooking

Gourmet Island ~ Mauritius Cookbook

Achard Légumes Recipe (Vegetables Achard/Pickle)

2011-02-05T00:17:00.000+10:30

This is by far one of my favorite side dishes!
It's so healthy because you will definately get your serves of veggies in this one, it is super flavourful and tasty, so quick and easy to make, very economical and last for a while. And of course is a very well loved and familiar taste from Mauritius!
Nothing beats my mum's 'Achard légumes' but this is as close as one can get, and thus making this side dish a real winner for me!!

For this recipe you will need:
- 250g white cabbage
- 250g carrots
- 250g green beans
- 250g caulifower
- 2 large onions
- 4 large red or green chillies
- 10 cloves garlic

- 2 tbsp black mustard seeds
- 180ml vegetable oil (but I always used less)
- Salt to taste

The 'Achard Légumes' is quite easy to make, the only part that takes a while is all the cleaning, peeling and cutting of the vegetables, but if you have little helpers in the kitchen like me your work will be done quicker while doubling the fun!

To prepare the Achard Légumes, you need to wash and peel your vegetables, then julienne the carrots, cabbage, green beans and cauliflower and set aside.
Heat vegetable oil in a large pan and sweat the garlic. Add the onions, mustard seeds and chillies and cooked until onions are softened. Add the vegetables and mix well. Let it cook until vegetables are softened, but still crunchy. Add salt to taste.

This makes a lot of 'Achard Legumes'. You can serve your Achard Legumes as a side dish to your rice & curry dishes. The remaining achard keeps well in the fridge for a while. (Mine didn't last long, because I ate it everyday at every meal.)

The Best of Mauritian Cooking

Gourmet Island ~ Mauritius Cookbook

Alouda Glacée Recipe (Cold Alouda Drink)

2011-02-01T22:43:00.001+10:30

Now this is a typical Mauritian drink!
You simply cannot call yourself a Mauritian or visit Mauritius Island without even having a glass of "Alouda Glacée".

I don't even know where the name for this drink comes from, but 'Alouda Glacée' is a very very popular cold (glacée means cold in French) drink know to absolutely every Mauritian. They are most famously found in the central market of the capital city of Mauritius, Port-Louis.
It is a yummy refreshing, filling, sweet milk base drink made specially for cooling down after a sunny Mauritian day. It is of course non-alcoholic and is very well loved by kids because it can take any color or flavor you like and it is made with soaked Basil seeds and chopped agar agar, which makes it more fun to drink for the children.
It is best to prepare the basil seeds for this drink overnight, so prepare ahead. But it can also be easily done a little faster (see my recipe below).

Ingredients needed for Alouda Glacée:
- 3 to 4 tablespoons of soaked and cleaned basil seeds
- 1 cup chopped agar agar strips
(I bought both the agar agar strips and basil seeds from an Asian food shop. You can also substitute the agar agar with set gelatin jelly or tapioca strips).
- 1 litre cold milk
- 500 ml water
- crushed ice
- a few drops of almond essence
- a few drops of vanilla essence
- Sugar to taste.
- Tall milkshake glasses chilled in the fridge!

Time to make the 'Alouda Glacée' drinks:
1. Put the basil seeds onto a large plate and sieve out any odd stalks, leaves etc...
2. Put the basil seeds into a large bowl and top with 500ml cold water for soaking.
    (for best results soak the basil seeds overnight)
3. Cut the agar agar strips into little pieces (about half an inch in size).
    Separate the strips and put into the bowl with the basil seeds.
(For quicker results try topping the soaking mixture with lukewarm water
    and soak until the agar agar is soft and the basil seeds are swollen up.)

4. In a big jug or bowl, pour the cold milk and add the agar agar & basil seeds mixture. Add sugar to taste.
5. Add a few drops of vanilla essence and a few drops of almond essence to taste.
6. Stir the drink mixture until really well blended.
7. Serve the drink in your chilled glasses and top with some of the crushed iced.

Optional coloring:
You may want to add a tiny drop of red food coloring to get a pink colored drink or green food coloring to get a green drink like the ones pictured.

Your Alouda Glacée drinks are now ready to be served and enjoyed by all on a hot summer day.

The Best of Mauritian Cooking

Taste of Mauritius

Exotic Cuisine of Mauritius

Samousas Recipe

2011-01-31T23:46:00.000+10:30

This is a recipe for Samousas, Mauritian Style.
Now there are lots and lots of Samousas recipes out there, and they sell Samousas almost everywhere, but nothing really compares to the Mauritian way of making Samousas and it's of course the one I like most, specially when eaten hot with a freshly made coriander chutney or chilli sauce.

To make Samousas, the Mauritian way, you will need:
- 10 Sheets of spring roll pastry, thawed and wrapped in a damp towel.
Cut each sheet lengthwise into 3 rectangular pieces to make 30.
- Vegetable oil, enough for deep frying.

For the filling you will need:
- 3 large potatoes, boiled and corsely mashed.
- 135grams of frozen peas, boiled and drained.
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder.
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder.
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped.
- 2 green chillies, finely chopped.
- 2 tablespoons of chopped coriander leaves.
- 2 tablespoons of chopped mint leaves.
- Juice of 1 lemon.
- salt to taste.

Now we need to toss all the ingredients together in a big mixing bowl until well blended.
Go ahead and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
To make the Samousas into their triangle shape is very easy.
Take one strip of the spring roll pastry sheet and place one tablespoon of the filling mixture at one end of the strip.
Now diagionally fold the pastry sheet to form a triangle. Use a little bit of water with your fingertips to seal the pastry sheet together.
Follow the same steps for the following strips of the pastry sheets.

Heat enough oil for deep frying and fry the samousas in small batches until they are golden brown.
Make sure to reduce the heat while frying so as not to burn the samousas.
Serve hot with a fresh coriander chutney or with chilli sauce.

Enjoy!

The Best of Mauritian Cooking

Exotic Cuisine of Mauritius

CUISINE VEGETARIENNE DE L'ILE MAURICE

Napolitaines cakes Recipe (Gateaux Napolitaines)

2011-01-31T22:51:00.000+10:30

Lately I have been craving flavours and taste from my motherland, Mauritius.
Since there is no mum or dad to cook for me and no Mauritian restaurant nearby, I had to use the internet and help of friends on facebook to get the recipes and tips on how to make those yummy & traditional dishes from my country that I so dearly miss.
So in the next few blog posts I will be sharing with you my attempt at recreating those flavours and taste from Mauritius.

So today, I bring you my version of "Napolitaines Cakes", a very popular and very much loved by all, pastry cake from Mauritius.
This recipe is very child friendly and as you can see Mona helped me to make the Napolitaines in heart & flower shapes as well as the more traditional round shapes.

For this recipe you will need the following:
For the dough:
- 500g flour
- 350g unsalted butter
- 5 tbsp water

For the Icing:
- 200g icing sugar
- 2-3 tbsp water
- 1-2 drop of red food colouring
- Strawberry/Raspberry or Plum Jam

To make the Napolitaines we first need to make the dough.
1. Rub the butter into the flour using your finger tips, until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs.
2. Add the water and knead until it forms a soft dough. Chill the dough for 30mins.
3. Preheat oven at 180 degrees.
4. Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface to a 5 mm thick.
5. Cut out shapes of small circles or any other shapes you desire of about 5 cm of diameter.
6. Place them on a lightly greased baking trap or use a baking sheet.
7. Bake them in the oven at 180 degrees for 8 to 10 mins or until the biscuits turn golden or pale yellow.
8. Allow the biscuits to cool.
9. When cooled, spread some jam over one biscuit and sandwich it up with another biscuit.
10. Place the paired biscuits on a rack.

So now we need to turn those little biscuits into Napolitaine cakes, and in order to do this we need to put the icing on the biscuits.
1. Dissolve the icing sugar with the water and add in the food colouring to obtain a pale pink colour.
2. Coat the biscuits with the icing and let it set.

When your Napolitaines are dry and set, they are now ready for you to enjoy with a nice cup of tea (Mauritian style of course!).

I do hope you give this recipe a try, it is very quick and easy to make, specially with the help from the little ones.

The Best of Mauritian Cooking

Mona's Fun Fairytastic 4th Birthday Party

2011-01-31T01:15:00.000+10:30

We had an absolute blast at Mona's 4th Birthday Party and in Mona's own words: "It was the best birthday party ever!!"

The theme for the 4th birthday was of course a Fairy Birthday Party, so we all headed to a huge park close to home and transformed the park into Fairy land.
Mona was super super excited to have her friends and family at the 'Fairy land'.

The best part for me personally, was when Mona said the Baha'i Prayer "O God Guide Me" followed by making a wish before blowing off her candles!!

We had a special friend come to do face painting for the little and not so little guests, and loads of fun games to keep the little ones entertained.

We played 'duck duck goose', had an 'egg in the spoon' and a 'three legged' races and of course 'Pass the parcel' game with a huge surprise at the end to share with all the guests. We also had a huge play ground and lots and lots of running space for playing 'chasing' & 'hide & seek'.

After the kids party in the park, we quickly headed home to refresh and for a change of clothes and went to meet the family for dinner on The Parade.

All in all, it was a fun fairytastic day!

March 2010 - Mona's 4th Birthday Party

I am no Bakerella

2011-01-31T00:23:00.000+10:30

I am no Bakerella, we all know that and we have all learn to live with that fact many many years ago.

But last year for Mona's 4th birthday, I was stung from the 'Make it & Bake it Yourself' bug!
She absolutely wanted a Fairy Birthday Party and I really wanted her birthday to be special and for the very first time in my life decided to try and have everything home-made and handmade.
I honestly don't know what I was thinking at the time, but it sure sounded like a good idea back then...

It was not easy, and it took a lot of time, we started prepping and organising everything a few days before and it took me all night to bake and get the food & snacks as ready as possible the night before and all morning on the day of the party.

But it was very well worth all the effort and time it took, and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat just to be able to see the amazement and excitement in my daughter's eyes!! She absolutely loved her Fairy Theme Birthday party and go did I.

I forgot to take pics of the hand-made thank you cards that Mona and me made to put in each guest's lolly/gift bags. We made heart-shaped cards for the girls and car-shaped cards for the boys, each with their name on it, which Mona helped to color in and she put glitter and fairy dust and stickers on the inside of the card and colored in the word 'Thank you!' for each of her little guests!

But here are some pics of the home-made cupcakes, food, and other snacks I made for the party:

Fairy Cupcakes for the Fairy Birthday Party

Fairy Cake with little pink fairies candles for the birthday dinner

Fairy Flowers & Fairy Wand cookies

40 mini cupcakes & 4 big cupcakes with little fairy girls as cake topper

Fairy Flower cookies

Fairy bread (covered)

Fairy Wand cookies (covered)

Fruit Kebab (covered)

Chocolate Strawberries (covered)

Vegetables platter (covered) with dips

Cream cheese & cucumber on mini-French biscottes (covered)

Bought snacks were marshmallows, candy, m&ms, jelly beans & jellly babies in the small boxes & baskets

March 2010 - Mona's 4th Birthday Party

Happy Birthday Mamijoon

2011-01-24T00:46:00.000+10:30

Happy Birthday Mamijoon!!
We miss you and love you so much mum!

Big bisous and big hugs to you!
from Mona, Sabby & Nays.
xoxox

As Always,

Thanks for watching!

Mona, Age 4 - September 2010