Introducing: The Substitute Cook©
The blog you’ve all been waiting for is now live:
*drum roll*
The concept:
“The cook – that is me – is no professional by any standards, but rather a Dubai-based food enthusiast who is hygienic and unlikely to set the house on fire anytime soon. Or kill someone through food poisoning. Rest assured all recipes have been made at least five times (or more) to encores and inquiries on how to make it.” – Personal review in an unknown, but famous magazine.
Seriously, this is an initiative by me not only to maintain an online recipe book of sorts, but to encourage people to try new things, while catering to time and budget – not to mention people with different diets.
Most of the recipes can be adapted to different meats or even go completely vegetarian without losing much of the taste and texture, although I would advise most to stay away from ‘meatless’ meats, unless it is soy or tofu based, preferably without any chemical additives and flavors. They are much too close to meat for a person who has always been a vegetarian to eat.
I’ve also included recipes that can have ’shortcuts’ for time, but you may want to use the traditional way if you feel guilty, or enjoy cooking all day. Whatever floats your boat.
I hope that you enjoy using the recipes on the site and feel free to change things – who knows? You could be making your own signature dish soon!
Now at…
Ok, everyone, this blog now has a permanent address outside of Blogger at:
If you go to my old one, you will be redirected anyway, but this now also works 
Oh, and my new blog is very close to completion.
Coming Soon..
If I disappear for a while, it’s because I’m building a new website for myself. A food-related blog, which I hope to get revenues from and one day, lead to a book too.
So watch this space for more…
Pink Bubbly…
The final week or weekend before mom’s back and I’m having quite the itchin’ for some pink bubbly – possibly triggered by some FB commenting and the fact that I found a wino I like at the recent Jazz Fest, although I’ve never been a fan of the fizzes, virgin or otherwise. And since it requires refrigerating to keep well, I have to have my bubbly before Friday night and finish it in one go – there’s no secret compartment for hiding stuff like that in the fridge. Probably get it on Thursday and invite a few friends to help me finish the bottle.
So where do I get something like that? Internet surfing doesn’t help much beyond giving me names as what’s good abroad doesn’t always match what’s available here. Restaurants would be too expensive and too impersonal as I want to chill at home and take my own time. So I asked another blogger, Alexander, whose champagne special on TFE-blog helped me narrow down what type of bubbly I want, but not the brand as his reviews were based in travelling out of the UAE, and like I mentioned earlier, may not be available here. And I got a few good recommendations through tweets
As for my personal preference, I’m quite the wuss. I’ve mostly hated the bitter and rather antiseptic taste of alcohol and probably mix my juice:booze ratio at 95%-5% – told you I was a wuss. Hence why I quite despise wines – they are super dry and verrry bitter. Until I had a really good one at the Skywards VIP lounge at the Jazz Fest – I was hooked. It was yummy. It was champagne-colour, the rather golden one – wish I knew the name. Shoulda asked. I also learned that it should be sipped cold: the minute it warms up, the nasty bitter taste returns.
Will write more when I get hold of one.
Pimp my blog – UPDATE
If anyone has been checking in recently and frequently, they may have noticed many changes, including sometimes the website disappearing altogether. That’s just me trying to figure out how to get this to move to my own website – a one without the “.blogspot.com” on it. As soon as everything works, I’ll put up the new website.
It shouldn’t change anything really – what it will do is those logging on to the current URL – not the individual post pages, so please go directly to my page if you read me from the dashboard, bloglist or a blog reader like bloglines – will be redirected to my new website instead. So that it doesn’t disappear overnight and I lose all my readers.
I did this cos I want to customize my blog, yet retain the features I rather like of blogger. Sorry wordpress people, I rather like blogger better, although hosting with wordpress is much more flexible and gives more options.
I’ll keep you updated once the migration happens. *phew*
PS – the header graphics look much cleaner now. I redid the entire thing in Illustrator and saved it as a PNG, for those who want to know. The text on the bear is legible, but still tiny due to the size. For those who want to see how it looks in big here it is:
I’m thinking of changing the logo to something else though, as I reworked an image I found on a google image search. I changed colors, tweaked it here and there (read I re-drew it all over again in Illustrator) but I know it’s someone else’s work – even though I don’t know who. So I’m thinking of something like say an arm on a tourniquet with a hypodermic needle filled the words (TV, Radio, Internet, Print) being injected into it. What say?
Pimp my blog…
In case you haven’t noticed, I jazzed up my blog. Now before you comment on how disturbing my logo is, each erm – drug has a name of a medium on it – it’s too small to see. The coke-snorting thing is TV, the needle is the internet, the thing sticking out of its ear is radio and the razor on its butt is print. Hence – media junkie.
Do comment on whether you like the new stuff. Even take part in the poll that I’m gonna keep up for a week.
An interview with Karen…
I joined the herd and let Karen interview me:
1. Describe your perfect meal.
I can describe the atmosphere, but not the meal itself because it would depend on my mood. It would be a nice scenic outdoor location, facing either water or even mountains. I’d prefer some isolation from the world – just me and whoever, be it a significant other or my family. The meal would be a home-cooked, full-course meal – say a roasted bird/pot roast with potatoes, veggies and bread. Or even a full Indian meal – yummy biryani with kababs, raita and the good side dishes. Or any cuisine, as long as it’s a variety of one main course followed by complimentary side dishes.
2. What was the best gift you’ve ever received and why?
My munchkin. Not really a gift as he’s my nephew, but he is the most precious thing to me. Materialistically, I would say the best gift I ever got was my current car. That wasn’t really a gift either, but convincing my mom that I needed something besides my ex-snail of a car was massive.
EDIT: I did receive some very nice gifts, but I didn’t mention them as the joy of the gift was lost by the fact that the giver never let me forget that they gave it to me.
3. Do you think blogging is an extrovert activity or are most bloggers introverts?
It depends on the amount of self-exposure the blogger does. If it’s a me-me-me site with loads of updates on the person and accessible to everyone, the person is most likely a narcissist. If there’s more anonymity and restricted access, chances are the person wants to express themselves, but fear being in the spotlight or feeling exposed. But there’s a certain amount of extrovertness needed to get out there.
4. How did you come to be an expat in Dubai?
I’m born here, so it was really my parents who decided to emigrate from Bangladesh to the UAE. My sister was barely a tot herself, and I came about 4-5 years later. It’s been my home ever since.
5. Describe the one thing that makes you feel the best, all warm and fuzzy. Maybe your best memory.
Cuddling up to my dearest one on a cool, pleasant weekend, lazing around under the warmth of a soft quilt. It isn’t a dirty memory – it was intimate in a sweet way. It felt like everything in the world was ok, and that nothing could possibly go wrong.
Here are the rules in case you want to tag anyone, or if someone wants to play off your blog…
1. Leave me a comment saying “interview me.” The first five commenters will be the participants.
2. I will respond by asking you five questions.
3. You will update your blog/site with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions. (Write your own questions or borrow some.)
So watcha waiting for?
Back from the dead…
Long, long gap. So very sorry folks. Things have been crazy and haven’t had much time to blog. Re-adjustment to a full working day. Plus was one of the first in the office to get this weird stomach flu. As I got better, my colleagues got sick so had to do extra hours due to shortage of staff. Just out of the sickbed. Welcome back to the working world. No more all day solitaire.
On the other hand, my job is really cool. My main job is helping update the website. As it’s a financial/biz e-paper, complimenting the actual newspaper, it’s updated pretty much by the minute. But as it’s online, it obviously has more stuff in it. I’m right now learning to monitor the wires, select stories of interest in line with the site’s MO and target audience. And also re-edit and format stuff in line with the Style guide.
I know Dubai has a censorship law and many newspapers have varying degrees of what to put and not to put. But since I’m in a semi-government organization, and hence indirectly under the big guy, There are so many do’s and don’ts. The obvious ones being the normal journalism ethics, except those conflicting with the UAE’s laws. Also being very careful in regards to royal affairs, the middle east conflict and very, very touchy topics. For now, while I’m still green, I’m sticking to stories of companies dropping like flies, and those still floating.
Hence the reason why I’ve not been self-promoting my new website, nor mentioning the paper. I tend to bitch when agitated. So last thing I want is to lose my job over someone acting PMS on me and me blowing steam on my blog. Y’all know how that turned out last time in regards to my family. Those who are really too nosy for their own good can probably figure out on their own.
On the other hand, it’s interesting and challenging. And reacquainting myself with a team. My old team is no longer there – everyone left, transferred or resigned. No idea what’s happening, but my hunch is my old department is getting the axe. I’ve been doing absolutely nothing the past 2-3 months, and have been on my own for a while. I need to adjust to having colleagues now. They’ve been nice so far. But I keep my distance because I’m the type that gets too attached, and then quite depressed when they leave or get moved. I’m very bad at saying goodbyes and maintaining a relationship once the person is gone. It’s just too painful trying to adapt to the new status and having to work with the distance. The only exception has been my best friend of 16+ years.
I got my mom a Val’s gift, for those who read my last post. But what have I gotten for JT? Well, it’s a surprise really so you’ll have to wait till the 14th for any dirt on that. But I started working on it today and I’m halfway done.
On the health side, I haven’t lost any weight in a month. I haven’t gained any either. But the doctor isn’t too happy with that. He says I need to change my diet. *sigh* And on my ongoing mishaps, I have a swollen left eye. No idea how it happened, but it started paining and hurting today morning. And my lower eyelid is tender and swollen. No pimples yet. And if I touch it, it hurts like I’ve been punched in the eye, although there’s no bruising, nor any force applied that can explain. I hope it goes down son. I look horrible.
Anyway, I have to go in to work early tomorrow as half the staff is all sick from the afore-mentioned stomach flu. Gnight.
PS: I will be commenting very soon on blogs I haven’t visited much, and reply to mine.
Double meme…
I’ve been getting many memes and as I was quite sick this past week, I thought I’d take the time and do two of them. More on my personal life later. But for now:
25 RANDOM THINGS ABOUT MOI….
Rules: Once you’ve been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it’s because I want to know more about you.
Got tagged by Karen on FB. So here goes:
1)All I really want is a Birman Cat.
2)My best friends will know everything on this list.
3)I love my mommy more than I show it, and more than she knows it.
4)I’m having a quarter-life crisis.
5)I’m on more meds than a senior citizen.
6)I’m a freak mama 
7)I’m the black sheep of my family baaaaaaaa….
8)The voice in my head alternates between a British accent and a Southern American (y’all) accent. Occasionally, it’s talks in Valley-girl.
9)I recently discovered my long-time fascination with writing. And that I’m gooood. Very good.
10)I’d like to fast-forward time if possible.
11)I have a love-hate relationship with kids. I want one, yet I don’t.
12)I’m not very good at saying goodbye. Especially if they mean alot to me.
13)I suck at leaving voice messages.
14)I wish I woke up everyday with perfect hair and skin.
15)I think vanity is a chore.
16)I have a secret desire to be a fashion designer. Since I was 10.
17)I’d like to sing, write music, be a pop star. I have only accomplished one of those.
18)I love karaoke.
19)I’m rather sick of hearing never-ending conflict. If I get or hear one more “Please help XYZ” because I’m Muslim, I’m going to blow a fuse and mot probably be called a heretic.
20)I do not like being appealed for charity because I’m of a particular race, nation or religion. I do charitable things because they are HUMANS. Do not call me sister, unless it is the common brother/sister-hood of humanity. One HUMAN dying is one too much.
21)If people really knew what goes on in my head, I’d be disowned or considered “the enemy”. By every clique.
22)All I think about is peace. I am extremely anti-war. I don’t care who started it, or who’s fault it is, I just want it to end.
23)I don’t boycott American products or any thing like that because I think it’s ridiculous. It’s not a solution. Besides, – oh never mind…no point explaining.
24)I’m a homeless kid. Coming from so many places, yet belonging to none.
25)I’d like to travel to sites of ancient history and civilizations.
I’m not tagging anyone in particular as writing 25 links is much even for me. And I’m lazy. So go ahead and do it if you like it.
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7 GREATEST ALBUMS
This meme I got from Bridget.
*cracks knuckles* Here goes:
The Rules…
1. Post your list of the seven best albums, the seven bloggers you will tag, a copy of these rules, and a link back to this page.
2. Each person tagged will put a URL to their Blogger Album Project post along with a list of the seven best albums in the comment section HERE.
3. Feel free to post the “I Contributed to the Blogger Album Project” Award Graphic on your sidebar, along with a link back to this page.
4. Post a link back to the blogger who tagged you.
I don’t have any albums in particular, but ok, I’ll give it a whack (in no particular order):
1) Kelly Clarkson – Breakaway
2) Evanescence – Fallen
3)Backstreet Boys – Backstreet Boys
4) Backstreet Boys – Backstreet’s Back
6) ABBA – Number Ones
7) Various – Classic Disney Collection
