In Snapshotland everyone is happy all the time.
It is the promised land where people sit with flasks of tea
on smooth sand by a flat sea and smile and smile and smile.
The sun shines all day long and every day in Kodachrome
or sepia on sandboys and sandgirls who never
stop smiling from the time they first appear, with buckets,
in crisp, gingham pinafores and bonnets on the sea-shore.
Lovers stay in love forever; married couples never
grow tired of each other; everything is always just right.
The dolphins know exactly when to leap into the air
and stay there for the permanent delight of passengers
aboard the pleasure-boat which never passes out of sight.
Nobody in Snapshotland grows old unless they want to,
judging by the way they go on smiling so, in deck-chairs,
on the beach, or in old-fashioned gardens with lavender
and grandchildren here and there – and no one dies, ever.
Even if they don’t appear later, the people are still
always there, smiling through the lavender and dolphins
and the buckets full of pebbles on the same sea-shore.
By
Sylvia Kantaris
1) Forget what the poem may or may not mean, or what it may be about.
2) Look at just the title and WRITE DOWN about half a dozen things that it suggests to you. Give literal meanings as well as other associations.
- Camera
- Photoalbum
- Fairytale/Fantasy
- Good memories
- Photographs
3) Read the poem once quickly, and then several times more slowly. Try to hear the poem aloud in your head. DO NOT recite the poem aloud in class; if you must hear it aloud, read it quietly to yourself.
4) WRITE DOWN a list of all those things in the poem that force their attention on you or which catch your interest for any particular reason. This includes unusual/odd/striking words, rhymes, or repetitions/patterns/contrasts, etc.
-smile and smile and smile (repetition)
- 'every day in Kodachrome or sepia on sandboys and sandgirls' (play with words,figurative language)
- 'and no one dies, ever' (emphasis on 'ever')
- 'gingham pinafores and bonnets' (clear description)
- 'everyone is happy all the time' (shoes people only take pictures smiling)
- 'everything is always just right' (makes it sound like a fairytale)
5) WRITE DOWN any features of figurative language in the poem: metaphors, similes, personification, alliteration, assonance, onomatopoeia, symbolism, etc.
- 'It is the promised land' (metaphor)
- 'on the same sea-shore' (alliteration)
6) WRITE DOWN groups of words that may be thematically similar (for example, that all similes make reference to animals/death/plants, etc., or all the first words of lines are conjunction words, etc.). Don't worry about whether your groups of words seem silly or improbable; look at what you have observed and ask yourself: what is its significance?
'smile and smile and smile',
'never stop smiling',
'everyone is happy all the time',
'permanent delight of passengers',
'smiling through the lavender and dolphins'
'the way they go on smiling so'
7) Look at your lists, notes, and groups. Do you see any pattern taking shape? If so, WRITE DOWN this pattern.
--They are all about happy moments
8) Read the poem again and WRITE DOWN your intelligent guesses of what the poem may mean.
--The poem might mean that all the beautiful moments of life are captured in pictures, beautiful moments that will not fade.
9) Answer the following questions:
Who is "speaking" in the poem? Is it the POET or a PERSONA?
--The poet is speaking about pictures.
Who is the poem "spoken" to? In other words, who is the audience for this poem? Is it to a particular person, to the poet himself (reflective) or to the public in general?
--It is to the public.
What is the speaker's attitude to this audience? Is it angry, sincere, joking, teasing, etc.?
--He is describing the beautiful memories photographs have in a happy mood.
What is the POET's attitude to this audience? (This may be different from the speaker.)
--(See Above)
Why is the poem organized in the way that it is?
--The first para is an intro to snapshotland. The rest are descriptions of different scenarios of photographs.
What is the EFFECT of all the things you have written down in Steps 2-8?
--Analyse the purpose of the poem
10) WRITE DOWN your guess at the poet's intent: what do you think the poet hoped to accomplish in writing this poem?
--He wishes to convey to us the value of poems.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Thursday, July 22, 2010
My Limerick - The Lich from Mars
There was a lich from Mars,
Who had nothing but cars;
I thought that lich
must be very rich
But no, my witch
As there was no one left on Mars
Who had nothing but cars;
I thought that lich
must be very rich
But no, my witch
As there was no one left on Mars
Monday, July 19, 2010
My Poem- Life is ...
Fe Fi Fo Flope,
Life is like a rocky slope,
Up and down it goes
Where it never slows
Life is like a fertile field,
Fun and abundance it will yield
Fruits of joy and seeds of givings,
Sprouting into smalls seedlings
Life is like a rocky slope,
Up and down it goes
Where it never slows
Life is like a fertile field,
Fun and abundance it will yield
Fruits of joy and seeds of givings,
Sprouting into smalls seedlings
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Sick by Shel Silverstein
"I cannot go to school today,"
Said little Peggy Ann McKay,
"I have the measles and the mumps,
A gash, a rash, and purple bumps.
My mouth is wet, my throat is dry,
I'm going blind in my right eye.
My tonsils are as big as rocks,
I've counted sixteen chicken pox
And there's one more--that's seventeen,
And don't you think my face looks green?
My leg is cut, my eyes are blue--
It might be instamatic flu.
I cough and sneeze and gasp and choke,
I'm sure that my left leg is broke--
My hip hurts when I move my chin,
My belly button's caving in,
My back is wrenched, my ankle's sprained,
My 'pendix pains each time it rains.
My nose is cold, my toes are numb,
I have a sliver in my thumb.
My neck is stiff, my voice is weak,
I hardly whisper when I speak.
My tongue is filling up my mouth,
I think my hair is falling out.
My elbow's bent, my spine ain't straight,
My temperature is one-o-eight.
My brain is shrunk, I cannot hear,
There is a hole inside my ear.
I have a hangnail, and my heart is--what?
What's that? What's that you say?
You say today is---Saturday?
G'bye, I'm going out to play!"
'as big as rocks' is a simile.
'My brain is shrunk, I cannot hear' and 'My leg is cut, my eyes are blue' are hyperboles
The author used figurative language to show how much Peggy Ann McKay is exaggerating.
I like this poem as it is humorous and exaggerating. It also has a twist at the end. At first, Peggy dreaded going to school and starting complaining that she was not well and came up with a long list of illnesses as to why she is not fit to attend school even though she was normal. Suddenly, someone tells her that it was a Saturday and there was no school as it was a Saturday. The poem ends off with Peggy going out to play. This ending makes me laugh, thus, making it fun and enjoyable. The poem is also easy to understand, unlike those by famous poets like Robert Frost. Those have deep meanings which are difficult for me to understand.
Said little Peggy Ann McKay,
"I have the measles and the mumps,
A gash, a rash, and purple bumps.
My mouth is wet, my throat is dry,
I'm going blind in my right eye.
My tonsils are as big as rocks,
I've counted sixteen chicken pox
And there's one more--that's seventeen,
And don't you think my face looks green?
My leg is cut, my eyes are blue--
It might be instamatic flu.
I cough and sneeze and gasp and choke,
I'm sure that my left leg is broke--
My hip hurts when I move my chin,
My belly button's caving in,
My back is wrenched, my ankle's sprained,
My 'pendix pains each time it rains.
My nose is cold, my toes are numb,
I have a sliver in my thumb.
My neck is stiff, my voice is weak,
I hardly whisper when I speak.
My tongue is filling up my mouth,
I think my hair is falling out.
My elbow's bent, my spine ain't straight,
My temperature is one-o-eight.
My brain is shrunk, I cannot hear,
There is a hole inside my ear.
I have a hangnail, and my heart is--what?
What's that? What's that you say?
You say today is---Saturday?
G'bye, I'm going out to play!"
'as big as rocks' is a simile.
'My brain is shrunk, I cannot hear' and 'My leg is cut, my eyes are blue' are hyperboles
The author used figurative language to show how much Peggy Ann McKay is exaggerating.
I like this poem as it is humorous and exaggerating. It also has a twist at the end. At first, Peggy dreaded going to school and starting complaining that she was not well and came up with a long list of illnesses as to why she is not fit to attend school even though she was normal. Suddenly, someone tells her that it was a Saturday and there was no school as it was a Saturday. The poem ends off with Peggy going out to play. This ending makes me laugh, thus, making it fun and enjoyable. The poem is also easy to understand, unlike those by famous poets like Robert Frost. Those have deep meanings which are difficult for me to understand.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Memories of My Primary School- A Poem
Something I'll Never Forget
White with a spotted collar
A round logo at my chest
My uniform for six years,
Something I'll never forget
A motto of 'Go Forward'
led me for six years
With friends and teachers beside me
Something I'll never forget
I still miss my friends
who made me laugh and smile
and the teachers who taught us
People I'll never forget
From falling into a pond
To playing games in class
Friends that do such things
Them I'll never forget
My teacher who danced for us,
On a long gone happy Children's Day
All these would not happen again
But its something I never forgot
All these fun and loving memories
Remain with me whereever I am
Even though I am far from school,
It's something I'll never forget
White with a spotted collar
A round logo at my chest
My uniform for six years,
Something I'll never forget
A motto of 'Go Forward'
led me for six years
With friends and teachers beside me
Something I'll never forget
I still miss my friends
who made me laugh and smile
and the teachers who taught us
People I'll never forget
From falling into a pond
To playing games in class
Friends that do such things
Them I'll never forget
My teacher who danced for us,
On a long gone happy Children's Day
All these would not happen again
But its something I never forgot
All these fun and loving memories
Remain with me whereever I am
Even though I am far from school,
It's something I'll never forget
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Conducting an Interview with One of the Characters in Village by the Sea
Me: Hi Hari, now that you have come back from Bombay, how do you feel?
Hari: I feel really excited, for saving my family from a bankrupt family to one with some status in Thul!
Me: How did you feel when your father went to drink every night in the past?
Hari: I was really furious and frustrated. Because of his drunken state, I had to work so hard, like an adult!
Me: How did you feel when you followed the procession to Bombay?
Hari: I was nervous and excited. I was wondering how Bombay was like.
Me: I heard that you were lucky to meet Hira Lal, who introduced you to Jagu.
Hari: Yes! I realised Bombay was dangerous as can be, I was fortunate to have benefactors.
Me: What did Jagu do?
Hari: He gave me a job in his restaurant, with a pay, food and accomodation.
Me: What did Mr Panwallah do then?
Hari: He taught me the skill of watchmending and to adapt to change.
Me: You came back to Bombay for Diwali, didn't you?
Hari: That is right. I missed my sisters and mother too.
Me: How do feel, now that everything is back to normal?
Hari: I feel really happy, as though I am a child again. I am also glad that my father turned over a new leaf.
Me: I heard that you have plans for the future, when the factories are built.
Hari: Yup, I intend to set up a chicken coop to rear chickens and sell the eggs to the workers. I will also set up a watchmening stall as the factory workers will have watches.
Me: Wow, these plans are well thought out. Thank you for your time. Bye!
Hari: Bye! See you!
Hari: I feel really excited, for saving my family from a bankrupt family to one with some status in Thul!
Me: How did you feel when your father went to drink every night in the past?
Hari: I was really furious and frustrated. Because of his drunken state, I had to work so hard, like an adult!
Me: How did you feel when you followed the procession to Bombay?
Hari: I was nervous and excited. I was wondering how Bombay was like.
Me: I heard that you were lucky to meet Hira Lal, who introduced you to Jagu.
Hari: Yes! I realised Bombay was dangerous as can be, I was fortunate to have benefactors.
Me: What did Jagu do?
Hari: He gave me a job in his restaurant, with a pay, food and accomodation.
Me: What did Mr Panwallah do then?
Hari: He taught me the skill of watchmending and to adapt to change.
Me: You came back to Bombay for Diwali, didn't you?
Hari: That is right. I missed my sisters and mother too.
Me: How do feel, now that everything is back to normal?
Hari: I feel really happy, as though I am a child again. I am also glad that my father turned over a new leaf.
Me: I heard that you have plans for the future, when the factories are built.
Hari: Yup, I intend to set up a chicken coop to rear chickens and sell the eggs to the workers. I will also set up a watchmening stall as the factory workers will have watches.
Me: Wow, these plans are well thought out. Thank you for your time. Bye!
Hari: Bye! See you!
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
People in a pose that could represent Lila
This shows how Lila could have been scattering flowers to the sacred rock at sea, as she bent down to offer the flowers.
Sources: life123.com
This shows how Lila could have cried beside Pinto when he was poisoned, showing the grief and sense of loss that she felt.
Sources: quizilla.teennick.com
This shows how Lila could have felt when the medicine-man came. This was because Lila was worried for her mother and whether the medicine-man could really heal her mother.
Sources: simpliciti101.wordpress.com
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Journal entry of Hari (Village By the Sea)
Dear Diary,
I am really so angry, tired and troubled. I do not know what to do now. Should I believe Ramu? Is there really going to be a fertiliser factory in Thul? If yes, will I even get a job there? I have not gone to college, nor do I have any skill. My father sold our only means of earning money, the boat. It was all because of his debts and toddy. He is just so useless, lying there all day, only getting up to drink toddy at night. Our family is in debt and I feel so helpless, not being able to contribute. At this rate, we will not be able to survive and all of us will die of starvation. The only food we have is chapati and tea or milk. Lila is working her head off to look after Bala and Kamal, as well as to do the housework. Mother is so ill that she can hardly move. However, we have no money to take her ro the doctor. Our field is so pathetic, it will not do much help as it is so small. I need to change and adapt. I need to behave like an adult if i want to help myself and my family. Yes, I can!
Hari
I am really so angry, tired and troubled. I do not know what to do now. Should I believe Ramu? Is there really going to be a fertiliser factory in Thul? If yes, will I even get a job there? I have not gone to college, nor do I have any skill. My father sold our only means of earning money, the boat. It was all because of his debts and toddy. He is just so useless, lying there all day, only getting up to drink toddy at night. Our family is in debt and I feel so helpless, not being able to contribute. At this rate, we will not be able to survive and all of us will die of starvation. The only food we have is chapati and tea or milk. Lila is working her head off to look after Bala and Kamal, as well as to do the housework. Mother is so ill that she can hardly move. However, we have no money to take her ro the doctor. Our field is so pathetic, it will not do much help as it is so small. I need to change and adapt. I need to behave like an adult if i want to help myself and my family. Yes, I can!
Hari
Negative Effects of Toddy
Negative Effects of Toddy
Family impact
An alcoholic can totally disrupt family life and cause harmful effects that can last a lifetime. Sometimes, fathers get drunk and beat up innocent children or their wife. This can destroy family ties.
Health Effects
ON THE LUNGS
- Lowered resistance to infection.
- High amounts of alcohol may cause breathing to stop, then death.
ON THE LIVER
- Chronic heavy drinking may cause alcoholic hepatitis (inflammation and destruction of liver cells) and then cirrhosis (irreversible lesions, scarring, and destruction of liver cells). Impairs the liver's ability to remove yellow pigment, and skin appears yellow (jaundice).
- Liver damage causes fluid to build in extremities (Edema).
- Decreases production of blood-clotting factors; may cause uncontrolled bleeding
- Liver accumulates fat which can cause liver failure (“alcoholic fatty liver”),
HEART
- Weakens the heart muscle and ability to pump blood (Cardiomyopathy).
- Abnormal heart signals, irregular heart beat and heart enlargement.
- Increases blood pressure, risk of heart attack and stroke.
- Inhibits production of both red and white blood cells.
ON THE LUNGS
- Lowered resistance to infection.
- High amounts of alcohol may cause breathing to stop, then death.
ON THE LIVER
- Chronic heavy drinking may cause alcoholic hepatitis (inflammation and destruction of liver cells) and then cirrhosis (irreversible lesions, scarring, and destruction of liver cells). Impairs the liver's ability to remove yellow pigment, and skin appears yellow (jaundice).
- Liver damage causes fluid to build in extremities (Edema).
- Decreases production of blood-clotting factors; may cause uncontrolled bleeding
- Liver accumulates fat which can cause liver failure (“alcoholic fatty liver”),
HEART
- Weakens the heart muscle and ability to pump blood (Cardiomyopathy).
- Abnormal heart signals, irregular heart beat and heart enlargement.
- Increases blood pressure, risk of heart attack and stroke.
Family impact
An alcoholic can totally disrupt family life and cause harmful effects that can last a lifetime. Sometimes, fathers get drunk and beat up innocent children or their wife. This can destroy family ties.
Health Effects
ON THE LUNGS
- Lowered resistance to infection.
- High amounts of alcohol may cause breathing to stop, then death.
ON THE LIVER
- Chronic heavy drinking may cause alcoholic hepatitis (inflammation and destruction of liver cells) and then cirrhosis (irreversible lesions, scarring, and destruction of liver cells). Impairs the liver's ability to remove yellow pigment, and skin appears yellow (jaundice).
- Liver damage causes fluid to build in extremities (Edema).
- Decreases production of blood-clotting factors; may cause uncontrolled bleeding
- Liver accumulates fat which can cause liver failure (“alcoholic fatty liver”),
HEART
- Weakens the heart muscle and ability to pump blood (Cardiomyopathy).
- Abnormal heart signals, irregular heart beat and heart enlargement.
- Increases blood pressure, risk of heart attack and stroke.
- Inhibits production of both red and white blood cells.
ON THE LUNGS
- Lowered resistance to infection.
- High amounts of alcohol may cause breathing to stop, then death.
ON THE LIVER
- Chronic heavy drinking may cause alcoholic hepatitis (inflammation and destruction of liver cells) and then cirrhosis (irreversible lesions, scarring, and destruction of liver cells). Impairs the liver's ability to remove yellow pigment, and skin appears yellow (jaundice).
- Liver damage causes fluid to build in extremities (Edema).
- Decreases production of blood-clotting factors; may cause uncontrolled bleeding
- Liver accumulates fat which can cause liver failure (“alcoholic fatty liver”),
HEART
- Weakens the heart muscle and ability to pump blood (Cardiomyopathy).
- Abnormal heart signals, irregular heart beat and heart enlargement.
- Increases blood pressure, risk of heart attack and stroke.
- Inhibits production of both red and white blood cells.
Psycological Effects
Drinking alcohol can get you depressed.
There is a misconception that drinking alcohol can drown your sorrows and make the feelings of sadness and uselessness go away. However, it is said that drinking alcohol can give you depression. Moreover, the more you drink, the deeper the depression and the longer it lasts.
Consuming large amounts of alcohol can cause you to become stressed from the impact of the drug. While the buzz from the alcohol may be enjoyable for a while, it will give way to a series of stresses on the body system that will manifest psychologically. From a general feeling of discontent to restlessness, nightmares and even overwhelming fear, there are a number of feelings of anxiety that can come from the alcohol usage.
Overconsumpsion can also lead to personality changes.Once you become intoxicated, what were your usual personality traits may change dramatically. You may become selfish, egotistical or even angry about your life and everything in it. Aggression and mood swings are some of the most common traits. These changes are brought on by the alcohol's effect on serotonin in your body. Serotonin is a chemical in your body that transmits signals relating to mood to your brain. When its job is weakened by alcohol, moods and emotions can get out of control.
Monetory Problems
Drinking can cause one to be addicted. When some people become addicted, they use up all their money and then borrow money to buy toddy, for example. In the end, they cannot pay up and go into debts.
These are the severe consequences of alcoholism and thus, you are strongly advised not to take alcohol.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Village By the Sea- Song accompaniment
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oN86d0CdgHQ
The above link is a song I found suitable for the first five chapters of the book, Village By the Sea by Anita Desai. I chose this song as I felt it suited the rustic scenery of the village Thul.
Below is another link that can be used to describe the scenery of the village - close to nature.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uupzk-YCBO0&feature=related
Towards the end of Chapter 5 was Hari leaving the village. Here is another song to go along.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3WfQ-tQGZ8
I have also decided to find a song that related to Chapter 6 and 7, relating to how lost and afraid Hari was when in Bombay.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4N3N1MlvVc4
The above link is a song I found suitable for the first five chapters of the book, Village By the Sea by Anita Desai. I chose this song as I felt it suited the rustic scenery of the village Thul.
Below is another link that can be used to describe the scenery of the village - close to nature.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uupzk-YCBO0&feature=related
Towards the end of Chapter 5 was Hari leaving the village. Here is another song to go along.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3WfQ-tQGZ8
I have also decided to find a song that related to Chapter 6 and 7, relating to how lost and afraid Hari was when in Bombay.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4N3N1MlvVc4
Chapati and You Tiao
Recipe for chapati
Ingradients:
3 cups
1 1/2 teaspoon
1 tablespoon
1 cup Fine whole meal flour or roti flour
Salt or to taste
Ghee or oil, optional
Lukewarm water
Method :
• Put flour in mixing bowl, reserving about half cup for rolling chapatis.
• Mix salt through the flour in the bowl, and then rub in ghee or oil, if used.
• Add water all at once and mix to a firm but not stiff dough.
• Knead dough for at least 10 minutes (the more it is kneaded, the lighter the bread will be).
• Form dough into a ball, cover with clear plastic wrap and stand for 1 hour or longer (if left overnight, the chapatis will be very light and tender).
• Shape dough into balls about the size of a large walnut.
• Roll out each one on a lightly floured board (using reserved flour) to a circular shape as thin as a French crepe.
• After rolling out chapatis, heat a griddle plate or heavy-based frying pan until very hot, and cook the chapatis, starting with those that were rolled first.
• Put chapati on griddle and leave for about 1 minute.
• Turn and cook other side a further minute, pressing lightly around the edges of the chapati with a folded tea towel or an egg slice.
• This encourages bubble to form and make the chapatis light.
• As each one is cooked, wrap in a clean tea towel until all are read.
• Serve immediately with butter, dry curries or vegetable dishes.
Sources: http://www.asianonlinerecipes.com/online_recipes/indiapakistan/chapatis.php
Roti Prata is typically drizzled with condensed milk, rolled up, and eaten as a hot snack. However, Chapathi is a type of roti or Indian bread eaten in South Asia and East Africa. In many areas of South Asia, particularly the north of the subcontinent, and in East Africa, it is the staple food. It is made from a dough of atta flour (whole grain durum wheat), water and salt by rolling the dough out into discs of approximately twelve centimeters in diameter and browning the discs on both sides on a very hot, dry tava or frying pan
Jalebi
Recipe
Ingredients
• 2 cups All purpose flour (maida)
• 11/2 tbsp. fine grained semolina or rice flour
• 1/4th tsp. baking powder
• 2 tbsp curd (plain yogurt)
• 11/4th cups warm water
• 1/2 tsp. saffron threads, slowly dry-roasted and powdered
• 3 cups sugar
• 2 2/3rd cups water
• 1/2 tsp green cardamom seeds powder
• 11/2 tbsp. kewra water or rose water
• Ghee or vegetable oil for frying
Method
• Mix the flour, semolina or rice flour, baking powder, curd and 3/4th cup of the water in a bowl (preferably a ceramic bowl). Mix well with a whisk.
• Mix well and then add remaining water and 1/8th tsp. of saffron powder, and whisk until smooth.
• Set aside for about 2 hours to ferment.
• Whisk thoroughly before use.
• Prepare string syrup by dissolving sugar in the water. Just before the syrup is ready add saffron and cardamom powder.
• Heat oil in a kadhai. Pour the batter in a steady stream (or coconut shell with a hole) into the kadhai to form coils. Make a few at a time.
• Deep fry them until they are golden and crisp all over but not brown.
• Remove from the kadhai and drain on kitchen paper and immerse in the syrup.
• Leave for at least 4-5 minutes so that they soak the syrup.
• Take them out of syrup and serve hot.
Sources: http://festivals.iloveindia.com/diwali/jalebi.html
Jalebi, a fried sweet made from maida flour. It is made by deep-frying batter in a kind of pretzel shape then soaked in syrup. You Tiao is a fried bread stick or Chinese doughnut, is a long, golden-brown, deep fried strip of doughnut. It is lightly salted.
Ingradients:
3 cups
1 1/2 teaspoon
1 tablespoon
1 cup Fine whole meal flour or roti flour
Salt or to taste
Ghee or oil, optional
Lukewarm water
Method :
• Put flour in mixing bowl, reserving about half cup for rolling chapatis.
• Mix salt through the flour in the bowl, and then rub in ghee or oil, if used.
• Add water all at once and mix to a firm but not stiff dough.
• Knead dough for at least 10 minutes (the more it is kneaded, the lighter the bread will be).
• Form dough into a ball, cover with clear plastic wrap and stand for 1 hour or longer (if left overnight, the chapatis will be very light and tender).
• Shape dough into balls about the size of a large walnut.
• Roll out each one on a lightly floured board (using reserved flour) to a circular shape as thin as a French crepe.
• After rolling out chapatis, heat a griddle plate or heavy-based frying pan until very hot, and cook the chapatis, starting with those that were rolled first.
• Put chapati on griddle and leave for about 1 minute.
• Turn and cook other side a further minute, pressing lightly around the edges of the chapati with a folded tea towel or an egg slice.
• This encourages bubble to form and make the chapatis light.
• As each one is cooked, wrap in a clean tea towel until all are read.
• Serve immediately with butter, dry curries or vegetable dishes.
Sources: http://www.asianonlinerecipes.com/online_recipes/indiapakistan/chapatis.php
Roti Prata is typically drizzled with condensed milk, rolled up, and eaten as a hot snack. However, Chapathi is a type of roti or Indian bread eaten in South Asia and East Africa. In many areas of South Asia, particularly the north of the subcontinent, and in East Africa, it is the staple food. It is made from a dough of atta flour (whole grain durum wheat), water and salt by rolling the dough out into discs of approximately twelve centimeters in diameter and browning the discs on both sides on a very hot, dry tava or frying pan
Jalebi
Recipe
Ingredients
• 2 cups All purpose flour (maida)
• 11/2 tbsp. fine grained semolina or rice flour
• 1/4th tsp. baking powder
• 2 tbsp curd (plain yogurt)
• 11/4th cups warm water
• 1/2 tsp. saffron threads, slowly dry-roasted and powdered
• 3 cups sugar
• 2 2/3rd cups water
• 1/2 tsp green cardamom seeds powder
• 11/2 tbsp. kewra water or rose water
• Ghee or vegetable oil for frying
Method
• Mix the flour, semolina or rice flour, baking powder, curd and 3/4th cup of the water in a bowl (preferably a ceramic bowl). Mix well with a whisk.
• Mix well and then add remaining water and 1/8th tsp. of saffron powder, and whisk until smooth.
• Set aside for about 2 hours to ferment.
• Whisk thoroughly before use.
• Prepare string syrup by dissolving sugar in the water. Just before the syrup is ready add saffron and cardamom powder.
• Heat oil in a kadhai. Pour the batter in a steady stream (or coconut shell with a hole) into the kadhai to form coils. Make a few at a time.
• Deep fry them until they are golden and crisp all over but not brown.
• Remove from the kadhai and drain on kitchen paper and immerse in the syrup.
• Leave for at least 4-5 minutes so that they soak the syrup.
• Take them out of syrup and serve hot.
Sources: http://festivals.iloveindia.com/diwali/jalebi.html
Jalebi, a fried sweet made from maida flour. It is made by deep-frying batter in a kind of pretzel shape then soaked in syrup. You Tiao is a fried bread stick or Chinese doughnut, is a long, golden-brown, deep fried strip of doughnut. It is lightly salted.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
The Lady or the the Tiger(Part 2)- The explanation
The explanation:
The passage stated that the king was semi-barbaric. Thus, he probably raised her daughter such that she was also barbaric, explaining why she could even bring herself to do such a thing to her lover. As she was the only daughter, the king doted on her and pampered her allowing her to get everything she wanted and she would not let others have what she cannot get. In this case, she would not let the woman, that was chosen for the event, marry her lover. The princess was selfish and also semi-barbaric. I took the above into consideration to arrive at my conclusion for the story.
The passage stated that the king was semi-barbaric. Thus, he probably raised her daughter such that she was also barbaric, explaining why she could even bring herself to do such a thing to her lover. As she was the only daughter, the king doted on her and pampered her allowing her to get everything she wanted and she would not let others have what she cannot get. In this case, she would not let the woman, that was chosen for the event, marry her lover. The princess was selfish and also semi-barbaric. I took the above into consideration to arrive at my conclusion for the story.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Lamb to the Slaughter(learning style, Naturalist)
Advocates for grass-fed products are quick to point out the numerous health benefits that can be obtained from grass feeding livestock. According to various research studies, the meat and milk from grass-fed ruminants contains more conjugated lineolic acid (CLA), vitamin E, omega-3 fatty acids, beta-carotene, and vitamin A than the meat and milk from grain-fed animals.
CLA and omega-3 fatty acids are good fats with anti-cancer, anti-diabetes, and anti-fat properties. The improved nutritional profile of grass-fed meat and milk may enable some producers to command a premium price for their products if they direct market them to consumers, restaurants, and specialty food stores/chains.
http://www.sheepandgoat.com/articles/grassfed.html
The Caloric Value of Lamb can be found at the following website.
http://ag.ansc.purdue.edu/sheep/ansc442/Semprojs/marketing/lamb.htm
The lamb leg that Mary Maloney used to hit Patrick could have been about 3-4 kilograms.
Below is a recipe that Mrs. Maloney could have followed to cook the lamb of leg for Sergeant Noonan and the other policemen.
Roast Leg of Lamb Recipe
The marinade we used on this roast comes from my friend Suzanne and it works quite well. A simpler marinade of rosemary, olive oil, garlic, pepper, and lemon juice would do the trick quite nicely too. One can also make tiny slices into the surface of the roast and insert slivers of garlic and herbs.
INGREDIENTS
Marinade
1/2 cup orange juice
1 cup white wine
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons of fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon of dried thyme
2 Tbsp of fresh chopped rosemary or 1 Tbsp of dried rosemary
1/4 teaspoon of fresh ground pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil
Blend ingredients in a blender, just a few pulses until well mixed.
Lamb Roast
1 (6-pound) leg of lamb, bone-in or boneless. If boneless, the leg should be tied up with kitchen string by butcher.
Marinade
Salt
METHOD
1 Place lamb and marinade into a plastic bag. Squeeze out as much of the air as possible from the bag and seal. Wrap again with another plastic bag to ensure that the marinating lamb doesn't leak. Marinate for several hours, or overnight, in the refrigerator. Remove the lamb, still in its marinade bag, from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before putting in the oven to help bring the lamb closer to room temperature before roasting.
2 Preheat oven to 425°F. Arrange two racks in the oven - a middle rack to hold the lamb, and a lower rack to hold a roasting pan with which to catch the drippings. Place the empty roasting pan in the oven while the oven is pre-heating. Note that this arrangement of racks and pans, with the roast sitting directly on the oven rack, will create a natural convection of heat in the oven, causing the roast to cook more quickly than if cooked the traditional method in a rack in a roasting pan.
3 Remove the lamb roast from its marinade bag (you may want to temporarily place lamb in another roasting pan, just to make it less messy to work with.) Pat dry the marinade off the lamb with paper towels. Generously salt and pepper all sides of the roast. Arrange fattiest side up, so while the lamb is cooking the fat will melt into the meat. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the roast, not touching the bone if your roast is bone-in. Place directly on middle rack of the oven, with a roasting pan on a separate rack a rung lower, to catch the drippings. You may also want to put some water (a cup or so) in the bottom roasting pan, so that the drippings fall into the water instead of burning in the hot pan and smoking up your kitchen.
4 Roast at 425°F for 20 minutes. Then reduce the heat to 300°F and roast an additional hour (for a 6 pound roast), about 10-12 minutes per pound. If you are cooking a roast bone-in, the bone will act as an insulator and will require a longer cooking time than a boneless roast.
Note that the method of cooking directly on the oven rack will mimic a convection oven and the cooking time/oven temp needed will be less than you would need if you cooked the roast on a rack in a roasting pan. If you are cooking the roast in a roasting pan, rack or not, start the roast at 450°F and then reduce the heat to 325°F. Also, the shape of the roast will have an impact on the cooking time. Our roast was rather long and thin, so it cooked up fairly quickly. A thicker roast may take longer than expected.
At this point start checking the meat thermometer. Note that every time you open the oven door, you'll need 10 minutes or so to bring the oven back up to temperature, thus slowing down the cooking process. So, don't check too often. Remove from the oven anywhere from 130°F to 135°F for medium rare. Lamb should never be cooked until well done or it will be too dry. Let stand for 15-20 minutes before carving. Cut away the kitchen string and slice with a sharp carving knife, 1/2 inch thick slices, against the grain of the meat.
5 While the roast is resting, use a metal spatula to scrape up the drippings in the roasting pan. Use the drippings to make gravy, or use just the drippings themselves to serve with the lamb.
Serves 8 to 10. Serve with some homemade mint jelly for an added treat.
http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/roast_leg_of_lamb/
CLA and omega-3 fatty acids are good fats with anti-cancer, anti-diabetes, and anti-fat properties. The improved nutritional profile of grass-fed meat and milk may enable some producers to command a premium price for their products if they direct market them to consumers, restaurants, and specialty food stores/chains.
http://www.sheepandgoat.com/articles/grassfed.html
The Caloric Value of Lamb can be found at the following website.
http://ag.ansc.purdue.edu/sheep/ansc442/Semprojs/marketing/lamb.htm
The lamb leg that Mary Maloney used to hit Patrick could have been about 3-4 kilograms.
Below is a recipe that Mrs. Maloney could have followed to cook the lamb of leg for Sergeant Noonan and the other policemen.
Roast Leg of Lamb Recipe
The marinade we used on this roast comes from my friend Suzanne and it works quite well. A simpler marinade of rosemary, olive oil, garlic, pepper, and lemon juice would do the trick quite nicely too. One can also make tiny slices into the surface of the roast and insert slivers of garlic and herbs.
INGREDIENTS
Marinade
1/2 cup orange juice
1 cup white wine
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons of fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon of dried thyme
2 Tbsp of fresh chopped rosemary or 1 Tbsp of dried rosemary
1/4 teaspoon of fresh ground pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil
Blend ingredients in a blender, just a few pulses until well mixed.
Lamb Roast
1 (6-pound) leg of lamb, bone-in or boneless. If boneless, the leg should be tied up with kitchen string by butcher.
Marinade
Salt
METHOD
1 Place lamb and marinade into a plastic bag. Squeeze out as much of the air as possible from the bag and seal. Wrap again with another plastic bag to ensure that the marinating lamb doesn't leak. Marinate for several hours, or overnight, in the refrigerator. Remove the lamb, still in its marinade bag, from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before putting in the oven to help bring the lamb closer to room temperature before roasting.
2 Preheat oven to 425°F. Arrange two racks in the oven - a middle rack to hold the lamb, and a lower rack to hold a roasting pan with which to catch the drippings. Place the empty roasting pan in the oven while the oven is pre-heating. Note that this arrangement of racks and pans, with the roast sitting directly on the oven rack, will create a natural convection of heat in the oven, causing the roast to cook more quickly than if cooked the traditional method in a rack in a roasting pan.
3 Remove the lamb roast from its marinade bag (you may want to temporarily place lamb in another roasting pan, just to make it less messy to work with.) Pat dry the marinade off the lamb with paper towels. Generously salt and pepper all sides of the roast. Arrange fattiest side up, so while the lamb is cooking the fat will melt into the meat. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the roast, not touching the bone if your roast is bone-in. Place directly on middle rack of the oven, with a roasting pan on a separate rack a rung lower, to catch the drippings. You may also want to put some water (a cup or so) in the bottom roasting pan, so that the drippings fall into the water instead of burning in the hot pan and smoking up your kitchen.
4 Roast at 425°F for 20 minutes. Then reduce the heat to 300°F and roast an additional hour (for a 6 pound roast), about 10-12 minutes per pound. If you are cooking a roast bone-in, the bone will act as an insulator and will require a longer cooking time than a boneless roast.
Note that the method of cooking directly on the oven rack will mimic a convection oven and the cooking time/oven temp needed will be less than you would need if you cooked the roast on a rack in a roasting pan. If you are cooking the roast in a roasting pan, rack or not, start the roast at 450°F and then reduce the heat to 325°F. Also, the shape of the roast will have an impact on the cooking time. Our roast was rather long and thin, so it cooked up fairly quickly. A thicker roast may take longer than expected.
At this point start checking the meat thermometer. Note that every time you open the oven door, you'll need 10 minutes or so to bring the oven back up to temperature, thus slowing down the cooking process. So, don't check too often. Remove from the oven anywhere from 130°F to 135°F for medium rare. Lamb should never be cooked until well done or it will be too dry. Let stand for 15-20 minutes before carving. Cut away the kitchen string and slice with a sharp carving knife, 1/2 inch thick slices, against the grain of the meat.
5 While the roast is resting, use a metal spatula to scrape up the drippings in the roasting pan. Use the drippings to make gravy, or use just the drippings themselves to serve with the lamb.
Serves 8 to 10. Serve with some homemade mint jelly for an added treat.
http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/roast_leg_of_lamb/
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Ending to The Lady or the Tiger by Frank R. Stockton
The ending:
The monstrous beast appeared at the door, inches from the man. He gave a gasp of horror and stared at the princess with despair. This time, his glance asked her: "Why did you do this to me?" The princess closed her eyes. As the tiger pounced onto her lover and ripped him into pieces, the princess felt as though her heart was being pierced by a spear. The savage tiger tore and shredded the flesh from the man with its razor-sharp teeth as he screamed in pain. Puddles of his innocent blood formed on the arena. Within minutes, the man was reduced into a heap of bones. The tiger raised its bloody head and gave a loud roar to show its satisfaction. The princess cried profusely at the sight of this bloody scene. She hated the woman and did not want her lover to marry that horrid woman; however, she did not expect that losing her lover was that painful. Her semi-barbaric father had sat unmoving in his chair throughout the bloody slaughter and seemed to have enjoyed the show. "That was a perfect decision," her father said coldly to the princess as he took his leave.
The monstrous beast appeared at the door, inches from the man. He gave a gasp of horror and stared at the princess with despair. This time, his glance asked her: "Why did you do this to me?" The princess closed her eyes. As the tiger pounced onto her lover and ripped him into pieces, the princess felt as though her heart was being pierced by a spear. The savage tiger tore and shredded the flesh from the man with its razor-sharp teeth as he screamed in pain. Puddles of his innocent blood formed on the arena. Within minutes, the man was reduced into a heap of bones. The tiger raised its bloody head and gave a loud roar to show its satisfaction. The princess cried profusely at the sight of this bloody scene. She hated the woman and did not want her lover to marry that horrid woman; however, she did not expect that losing her lover was that painful. Her semi-barbaric father had sat unmoving in his chair throughout the bloody slaughter and seemed to have enjoyed the show. "That was a perfect decision," her father said coldly to the princess as he took his leave.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Mary Maloney"s Diary (in ref. to "Lamb to the Slaughter" by Roald Dahl)
Dear Diary,
What have I done? I almost got myself into deep trouble! I still cannot believe I killed my husband. I wished I could go back in time to correct my errors . Perhaps I could have asked Patrick why he detested me and I could become a better wife. All this could be avoided if only...
Fortunately, my alibi was successful and I did not get caught, nor was the murder weapon found. Thanks to Patrick's compassionate mates.On the bright side, I can now live peacefully with my baby without that uncaring jerk. I really loved Patrick with all my heart, expressing my care and concern to him whenever he was down. How could he dump me like this? I am really heartbroken. I must now find another companion that would accompany me.
To clarify matters, I did not kill my husband on purpose. The moment I heard Patrick say that he was going out, I seemed as though I was possessed . Everything seemed so automatic, my hands seemed compelled to swing the lamb leg on his head.
I am not sure whether his death is more of a good thing or a bad thing.
What have I done? I almost got myself into deep trouble! I still cannot believe I killed my husband. I wished I could go back in time to correct my errors . Perhaps I could have asked Patrick why he detested me and I could become a better wife. All this could be avoided if only...
Fortunately, my alibi was successful and I did not get caught, nor was the murder weapon found. Thanks to Patrick's compassionate mates.On the bright side, I can now live peacefully with my baby without that uncaring jerk. I really loved Patrick with all my heart, expressing my care and concern to him whenever he was down. How could he dump me like this? I am really heartbroken. I must now find another companion that would accompany me.
To clarify matters, I did not kill my husband on purpose. The moment I heard Patrick say that he was going out, I seemed as though I was possessed . Everything seemed so automatic, my hands seemed compelled to swing the lamb leg on his head.
I am not sure whether his death is more of a good thing or a bad thing.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Newspaper Report - Facebook User Made Police Report (The Straits Times, 5 February 2010)
When full-time national serviceman, Prhabagaran, joined a Facebook discussion on the things parents do to frighten their children into behaving, he expected to be amused. However, some remarks about Indians made by someone called "Desmond Tan" offended him. Prhabagaran felt that what he wrote was racist. Desmond Tan posted on Facebook that parents made their children behave by making them afraid of Indians.
Prhabagaran made a police report on 31 January 2010. On 4 February 2010, police announced the arrest of three teenagers including Desmond Tan under the Sedition Act.
Racist remarks or comments are not tolerated in Singapore. Singapore is a multi-racial country. Making racist comments that are hateful, threatening, malicious or discriminating can lead to racial violence and threatened the stability of the country. In the 1960s, Singapore experienced racial riots due to racism. Many people were killed. To prevent such riots from happening, severe penalties are implemented.
I strongly feel that we should learn from this incident to respect people of all races. While we want to have freedom of speech, we must at all times measure our words. A wrong comment can have serious consequences.
Prhabagaran made a police report on 31 January 2010. On 4 February 2010, police announced the arrest of three teenagers including Desmond Tan under the Sedition Act.
Racist remarks or comments are not tolerated in Singapore. Singapore is a multi-racial country. Making racist comments that are hateful, threatening, malicious or discriminating can lead to racial violence and threatened the stability of the country. In the 1960s, Singapore experienced racial riots due to racism. Many people were killed. To prevent such riots from happening, severe penalties are implemented.
I strongly feel that we should learn from this incident to respect people of all races. While we want to have freedom of speech, we must at all times measure our words. A wrong comment can have serious consequences.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Learning Diagnostic Test
Last week, I took a learning style diagnostic test on http://is.gd/62AV6. I had to answer forty questions about myself. Below are two pie charts. The pie chart on the left are my results. For comparison, I have included a pie chart (right) of an average kid's results.
As you can see from the pie chart, I am not really good at writing or solving challenging Math problems. An average boy of my age scores 14 for Linguistic and 15 for Logical, compared to my score of just 7 for each category! Well, on the brighter side, I have an edge when it comes to Naturalistic and Kinesthetic. According to the tests, I am more hands-on and musical.
If you are interested to find out your learning style, go to the above-mentioned website. Click on the link in #1 to attempt the questionnaire. Next, copy the code and type it into the results page to obtain your very own pie chart. Remember, you have to be truthful when answering the questions in order to obtain an accurate results. With the chart, you will have a better understanding of your strength and weaknesses and adopt a suitable learning method to help you excel.
Plagarism
I admit I committed plagiarism when I was in Primary School. That is because I did not realise what plagiarism is. I only knew what it meant, recently, when my English teacher explained what it is and the seriousness of plagiarism.
Many people would go to the internet to do research, copy the information and use it as their own. This is the same as stealing. I advise all of you never to do it or if you are doing it, stop now. It may be the easy way out especially if you are rushing to finish a project on time, but stealing somebody's work or ideas is dishonest.
If you are caught plagiarising, it is not only embarrassing, you may be sued by the original author. Do not think that nobody will know where you have copied the work from. There will always be someone who may evenutally discover it.
For those who want to know what plagiarism is, please note the following:-
- copying someone's work as your own
- failing to put a quotation in quotation marks
- changing the words but copying the sentence structure of a source without giving credit to the author
If anyone of you has done the above, it is not too late to change. Stop plagiarising immediately. Put in more effort and time to do your project or work. Same for me!
Many people would go to the internet to do research, copy the information and use it as their own. This is the same as stealing. I advise all of you never to do it or if you are doing it, stop now. It may be the easy way out especially if you are rushing to finish a project on time, but stealing somebody's work or ideas is dishonest.
If you are caught plagiarising, it is not only embarrassing, you may be sued by the original author. Do not think that nobody will know where you have copied the work from. There will always be someone who may evenutally discover it.
For those who want to know what plagiarism is, please note the following:-
- copying someone's work as your own
- failing to put a quotation in quotation marks
- changing the words but copying the sentence structure of a source without giving credit to the author
If anyone of you has done the above, it is not too late to change. Stop plagiarising immediately. Put in more effort and time to do your project or work. Same for me!
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