Sometimes the smallest things in life make us happy and content…
Sometimes fulfilling a lost talent with another you’ve become an addict of allows you to believe that the artist in you is just dormant and will soon awaken…

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One whole month…. Bad girl! Bad!
No more excuses and no more blaming it on the bad food photography!

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Ramadan Mubarak! I know I’m thirteen days late but the past two weeks have been crazy!

Only last week did my youngest son Marwan recover from a very bad virus he had for over a week.
And only mid last week did I get a chance to breathe a little!

I promise I’ll post more often!

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The smell of frankincense filling the house… our Ramadan ritual of frankincense infused water is being prepared…
A lingering aroma of my mother’s delicious rice pudding…
The kitchen is always swarming with everyone cooking, helping or suggesting!

It’s a full house during Ramadan and everyone is always in a hurry to get things done.
The feeling of a full kitchen is overwhelming in a good and bad way. It’s fun to see everyone cooking and baking but it’s also annoying because you can’t take your time doing what you like and it’s also quite loud!

Ramadan is the best month of the year! It strengthens your spiritual practices, Families gather for Futoor (time when the fast is broken), it teaches you compassion towards the less fortunate and also to visit relatives.

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Last Ramadan I was pregnant with Marwan, Hamad used to play around with my nephews and I had all the time to cook and help in the kitchen.
This Ramadan… Hamad is still playing with the boys and nearly all the time they’re up to no good… Marwan is a handful and I don’t like to cook in a hurry.

Last week I made coconut potato curry with cashews which turned out good but they needed a little more salt.
Next time I make it, I probably won’t use the coconut milk and maybe use cream instead. Not that the coconut milk didn’t taste well but because I want a different flavor. Maybe some tanginess.

Coconut Potato Curry with Cashews
Recipe adapted from Joanne Eats Well With Others

Ingredients:
500 g new potatoes, steamed for 10 minutes (I boiled them)
1/3 cup cashews, soaked for 10-15 minutes and then chopped
1 cup green peas, fresh or frozen
2 cups cherry tomatoes (I used grape tomatoes)
2 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp coriander (I didn’t have any so I passed)
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 can light coconut milk (I used regular)
1 tbsp olive oil
Handful of basil, chopped (Didn’t have any so I used Parsley)
Salt and pepper
Lemon pepper (optional)

Method
In a large pan, heat the oil then add the cumin seeds.
When they begin to sizzle, add the cashews and allow to roast lightly.
Add the steamed potatoes and toss to coat with cashew cumin mixture.

Add 1/2 cup water to the tomato paste and mix until incorporated.
Add in the tomatoes and simmer.

Add all the spices and stir well to coat the potatoes.
Once the tomatoes are cooked through mash them and simmer for a few minutes.

Add the coconut milk and peas.
Simmer until the sauce begins to thicken.
Add salt, pepper and lemon pepper to taste.
Add chopped basil.

“There is nothing wrong with change, if it is in the right direction”
Winston Churchill

The last time I blogged was back in 2005! That was quite a long time back.

Back then my blog was about my artwork, creative non-fiction writing and poetry.

Here I am, six years later with a totally new life!

Surrealist is still in me but has been reined for a little while and is waiting to be unleashed sometime soon in the body of the partially-new-me La Mère Culinaire!

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Since 2005 I had a few blank years, then in 2008 got married to an extremely awesome man, 2009 gave me my first baby boy and 2010 gave my second boy and 2011 gave me the courage to write and start blogging again! A lot to absorb when you’ve never imagined your life to take this turn so fast! Yes yes… it is fast for me the Surrealist but not for me the Mère Culinaire!

Here I am now, a wife, a mother of two boys. Still loving art but now applying it differently. Now, it’s all about applying the art of parenting and the culinary arts in my daily life. Two things which have become very important aspects of my life.

You’ll soon see me blogging about recipes, parenting, interesting gadgets, and of course Art and Design.

In the meantime, enjoy a flashback of the metamorphosis …