Toddy is a alcoholic beverage created from the sap of various species of palm tree such as the Palmyra, and coconut palms. However, toddy is not good. Why?
Toddy might cause familial problems, such as when one becomes drunk and violent, thus beating up his/her family members. Yes. That also includes one's parents and children! Imagine waking up after a night of toddy and finding your family members unconscious! That would be so scary!
Another problem might be one's health problem. Although people might have the assumption that alcoholic beverage can make one become less worry, toddy causes headaches, and it is bad for one's immune system. You would not want to fall sick just because of your worries, right?
Also, alcoholic beverages are expensive. You would not want to spend $10 on just a small cup of toddy that can be drank in one tiny gulp, do you? Anyway, even if you want to, think about your family members. Do you have the ability to spend $100 - 10 tiny gulps of toddy for a day? That adds up to $3000 a month! This means that even if you earn $6000, you got only $3000 left! That's 50% of your pay! You certainly cannot afford such a thing....
If you still do not think that the above reasons for one to stop drinking toddy are enough, let me add one more. Social problem. Would you like to sit face to face with some body that smells of toddy? Will that be pleasant? The answer would obviously be 'No'! So, if you still drinks toddy, how is your boss or employee going to feel? Soon, you woud be kicked out of the company! Then, you will have no more money to spend on toddy.
In conclusion, drinking toddy is unhealthy for yourself and you might beat up your family members unintentionly, lose much money due to toddy and worse still, get fired and left with no money! Thus, DO NOT drink toddy!
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Imagining conducting an interview with one of the characters in The Village by the Sea - Lila(Linguistic)
This is a interview between Lila and I (Imagining)
Me: What's your role as the oldest sister?
Lila: I had to go to the sacred rocks at the sea to scatter flowers about the rocks, take care of my siblings, cook and take care of the house.
Me: So you play an important role...
Me: How did you feel when Hari left home and went to Bombay?
Lila: I felt hopeless, since my father was always drunk, my mother was ill and nobody was there to earn money. This meant that we would not be able to survive, since I did not know how to work.
Me: Then, do you think that the factories should be here, in Thul?
Lila: No, I really hoped that the factories will move to other places since they will change the traditional way of the Thul’s villagers’ lives.
Me: Urbanization arriving in Thul is not good at all?
Lila: I think so. I just want a peaceful live, that my mother will be healthy again, my father will stop drinking toddy, Pinto to be back from death and everyone living happily.
Me: Okay. Thanks for letting me interview you.
Lila: No problem.
Me: What's your role as the oldest sister?
Lila: I had to go to the sacred rocks at the sea to scatter flowers about the rocks, take care of my siblings, cook and take care of the house.
Me: So you play an important role...
Me: How did you feel when Hari left home and went to Bombay?
Lila: I felt hopeless, since my father was always drunk, my mother was ill and nobody was there to earn money. This meant that we would not be able to survive, since I did not know how to work.
Me: Then, do you think that the factories should be here, in Thul?
Lila: No, I really hoped that the factories will move to other places since they will change the traditional way of the Thul’s villagers’ lives.
Me: Urbanization arriving in Thul is not good at all?
Lila: I think so. I just want a peaceful live, that my mother will be healthy again, my father will stop drinking toddy, Pinto to be back from death and everyone living happily.
Me: Okay. Thanks for letting me interview you.
Lila: No problem.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Research on the preparation of chapathi, jalebi, roti prata and you tiao
Firstly, what is 'chapathi', 'jelebi', 'roti prata' and 'you tiao'? Honestly, I don't know.
After doing some research on chapathi, I realised that it was an unleavened flatbread freshly made for a meal from almost any flour from northern India and Pakistan. Now. After knowing what a chapathi is, let's move on to roti prata. Roti prata evolved from the original pancake recipes from Pakistan and India. The word 'roti' means “bread”, while 'prata' means “flat”.
My next task is to find out, what's the difference between the two of them? Well, the main difference is that roti prata is an evolution of the original pancake while chapathi is not an evolution.
Next, I am going to find out about jalebi. Again, I don't know what is its meaning. Research time! Finally, I found out that jalebi is a deep fried sweet, and it is a little bit same as funnel cakes, but it is smaller and different in flavor. The treat is made in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh primarily. Next, what is you tiao? Mainly, you tiao is long and golden-brown in colour. It is a deep fried strip of dough in Chinese or other Southeast and East Asian cuisine.
Now, again, what is the difference between the two of them? Well, although both are deep fried, jalebi is a kind of sweet and it origins from Pakistan, India and Bangladesh, while the you tiao is a strip of dough in Chinese or other Southeast and East Asian cuisine.
Finally, my last task is to find a recipe for the cooking of both chapathi and jalebi.
This recipe can be found on: http://www.paajaka.com/2007/03/soft-chapathis.html
Next, make small balls and roll each ball. Then, dredge in the flour if its sticky.
After doing some research on chapathi, I realised that it was an unleavened flatbread freshly made for a meal from almost any flour from northern India and Pakistan. Now. After knowing what a chapathi is, let's move on to roti prata. Roti prata evolved from the original pancake recipes from Pakistan and India. The word 'roti' means “bread”, while 'prata' means “flat”.
My next task is to find out, what's the difference between the two of them? Well, the main difference is that roti prata is an evolution of the original pancake while chapathi is not an evolution.
Next, I am going to find out about jalebi. Again, I don't know what is its meaning. Research time! Finally, I found out that jalebi is a deep fried sweet, and it is a little bit same as funnel cakes, but it is smaller and different in flavor. The treat is made in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh primarily. Next, what is you tiao? Mainly, you tiao is long and golden-brown in colour. It is a deep fried strip of dough in Chinese or other Southeast and East Asian cuisine.
Now, again, what is the difference between the two of them? Well, although both are deep fried, jalebi is a kind of sweet and it origins from Pakistan, India and Bangladesh, while the you tiao is a strip of dough in Chinese or other Southeast and East Asian cuisine.
Finally, my last task is to find a recipe for the cooking of both chapathi and jalebi.
This recipe can be found on: http://www.paajaka.com/2007/03/soft-chapathis.html
Ingredients(chapathi)
- 2 Cups - Pillsbury Chakki Fresh Atta
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
- 3/4 tablespoon Oil
- Water
- Little oil for making chapathis
The method of cooking
Firstly, mix the salt and oil to the flour. Add water little by little and knead the dough. The consistency should not be too sticky or too hard.
Next, make small balls and roll each ball. Then, dredge in the flour if its sticky.
Next, heat a Tawa and place a rolled chapathi. Some time later when you notice the chapathi slightly puffing, apply very little oil immediately and press all around and turn around the chapathi ( Do not allow the other side to become too dry). Press the Chapathi. Again, you will notice the chapathi puffing. Apply very little oil again on the upper side and turn around the chapathi again. After a couple of seconds, take away the chapathi from the Tawa. The final product should still be soft. These chapathis will be healthy and remain soft for longer duration.
Ingredients(jalebi)
- 2 cups of self raising flour
- 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
- 1 cup of yogurt
- Vegetable/canola/sunflower cooking oil for deep frying
- 1 cup of sugar
- Few strands of saffron
- 1/4 teaspoon of cardamom powder
- 2 drops orange of food colour
- 2 tablespoons of rose water
The method of cooking
Firstly, mix the flour, baking powder and yogurt into a batter and keep aside for 24 hours to ferment. Next, pour the batter into a ketchup dispensing bottle. In order to make sugar syrup, melt the sugar with the rose water and boil to get a one thread consistency. To check for one thread consistency, carefully dip the tip of your index finger into the syrup, touch your finger and thumb together and genly tease apart. If one thread is formed between your finger and thumb, the syrup is done. Turn off fire, add the saffron strands and cardamom and stir well. Heat the oil in a deep wok-like dish. To test for the right temperature, drop a small amount of batter into the oil. If it sizzles and rises to the top of the oil, the oil is hot enough. Keep the flame on medium at all times to ensure all round cooking of the jalebis. Now hold the ketchup dispenser over the hot oil and squeeze the batter into the oil into a wiggly, randomly coiled circle. Squeeze out several at a time. Fry till light golden and then remove and put directly into the sugar syrup. Allow to soak for 2-3 minutes and then remove. Serve warm.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
A journal entry from the point of view of one of the characters from The Village by the Sea : Hari ( Intrapersonal )
No! Why? Why is my father just spending his money on toddy? Now, Pinto, the dog in our house is dead! All because of my father! He owed the horrible and evil drunkard that was our neighbour money and that drunkard kill Pinto! I am so confused and angry! I want to go to Bombay and leave my sisters! I don't want to be here anymore, living with my scared sisters!
I don't want to live like this! I want a job and support myself! Yes! I will go to Bombay tomorrow and never come back to this house, or maybe this sad house. I want to leave my frightened sisters, my mother who is so ill that can't take care of us and my drunken father! Yes. Tomorrow I will go to Bombay. I will leave home and run away from home! I can get a job from the de Silvas. Mr de Silva said that he would give me a job as a car-cleaner.
I will be saying goodbye to you now, Diary, since I can't bring you with me to Bombay. Bye now, Diary. I have to go to sleep now. It will be a long day tomorrow and I have to reserve my energy for then. Bye for the third time!
Your owner,
Hari
I don't want to live like this! I want a job and support myself! Yes! I will go to Bombay tomorrow and never come back to this house, or maybe this sad house. I want to leave my frightened sisters, my mother who is so ill that can't take care of us and my drunken father! Yes. Tomorrow I will go to Bombay. I will leave home and run away from home! I can get a job from the de Silvas. Mr de Silva said that he would give me a job as a car-cleaner.
I will be saying goodbye to you now, Diary, since I can't bring you with me to Bombay. Bye now, Diary. I have to go to sleep now. It will be a long day tomorrow and I have to reserve my energy for then. Bye for the third time!
Your owner,
Hari
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