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The Byblos Burger: Not For The Fainthearted!

 

Byblosburger

Last week, I had the pleasure of going out to lunch with a colleague to a local favorite joint:  Byblos.  I’d been there before, so I knew what to expect:  menus that folded out like newspapers, fast and courteous service, and fare that focused on standard middle-eastern staples.  But this time, I wanted to try something more mainstream– and a house favorite, I was told:  the Byblos Burger.  As you can see, what it was, was an enormous double-patty burger with the works and a side of fries.  I polished off the fries without a worry, but the burger I had to deconstruct carefully, and had only the one patty and the top bun!  The rest I boxed for later!

My friend had the Mujaddera Wrap, a strictly vegetarian wrap made with red lentils, spinach and cheese (I’m forgetting what kind).  I was told that it was delicious, and I confirmed it myself by taking a small bite.

See for yourself some pictures taken of this little hole-in-the-wall campus restaurant.  If you’re ever in the neighborhood, you must pop in for lunch!

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006/365/01

My firstborn tied these palm leaves into crosses this morning right after we got them in church.  Today happens to be Palm Sunday, so-called because it marked the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, just days before he is tried and crucified.  There’s a wiki entry on the significance of this event right here.  For the actual texts as found in the gospels of Matthew and Mark, click right here.

Palmsunday

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Brigadoon: A Fantastical Love Story

I had the pleasure of attending a live performance of Brigadoon, the old Broadway musical last evening.  It was the last event to our season-tickets to the Power Center series at the University of Michigan’s Dept. of Music, Art and Theatre’s offerings for this academic year.

 Since photography is prohibited inside, attached are a few pictures taken of the playbill, the stage before the play started, and a regrettably-blurred picture of the bagpiper playing his pipes outside the Power Center.  He was part of the acting troupe but the playing of the pipes was a nice touch to the anticipations of the story set in Scotland.

There’s a wiki entry about the play, I just discovered.  You can find it right here. But if you’re busy to read through it, the story is essentially a sweet one of finding the one you love, losing them, and then willing yourself to find them again.  A little fantastical, I know, but one doesn’t always need a story rooted in reality to truly identify with it.

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Methi Dal: A Prince Among Dals

Well, if you know I love dals, you know me well.  And if you know me that well, then you most likely also know that I love to improvise with dals.  Yesterday, I made a Methi Dal, which is no ordinary dal because it has methi (fenugreek) in it.  Methi is an interesting green leafy vegetable that demands that you treat it just right or else it will go bitter on you.  So, you must use it in the right amounts and with other foods that will complement its flavor.

So, I made a Methi Dal which is fit for a prince, nay, a king!  Because not only does it have the key ingredient, methi, it has a number of other delectable veggies:  half a green mango, diced red tomatoes, one large red onion, and a cup of baby carrots.  A little turmeric, and a few green chillies, and you’re ready to pressure-cook the lot.  The lentil of choice, by the way, is the ubiquitous yellow Toor dal.  After pressure-cooking, you use a hand-blender to puree this goodness.  Add a dash of lemon juice and salt to taste, and it is good as is, but no, I have to make it impossibly good, of course.

And the way I do that, is by giving it one phenomenal tadka:  a tempered seasoning in desi ghee with hing (asefotida), mustard, cumin, garlic, dry red chillies, and kari patta (fresh curry leaves).  When the aromas have reached their height, toss it into the dal, bring to a rolling boil for a couple of minutes, then turn off the fire, cover lid and let it rest for another couple of minutes before you serve it with hot white basmati and rotis.  Keep the desi ghee bottle at hand, because you must put in a small dollop into the steaming hot rice and dal.

I had two kinds of papads on the side– which were both phenomenal.  But the Methi Dal stole the show!

The pictures in this album were taken at the various stages of cooking the dal.  I hope that it will tell a picture story that is even better than following a written recipe.  The unanimous reaction at my dinner table was:  Yeh Hui Na Baat!

Md1
Md2
Md3
Md4
Md5
Md6
Md7
Md8
Md9
Md10
Md11

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005/365/01

Need a new set of wheels?  As in four new tires for your car or truck or semi?  Well, Sam’s Club is the place to go!  And you’ll get more than tires over there:  you’ll get everything from your weekly grocercies to bathroom cleaning supplies to designer perfumes and jewelry.  Well, I wasn’t looking for tires myself today, just thought it was interesting that the Automotive Dept. is placed at the very end to the exit– as if to say, “well, now that you’re leaving, are you sure you don’t need to replace your tires?!”

Tires

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Death By A Brownie Sundae

Yes, that’s what it will feel like:  death.  Death because you’ll feel like you’ve died and gone to heaven!  Presented here is a pan of brownies made by my firstborn.  Brownies that have both white AND dark chocolate chips in it.  And served with a scoop of a premium chocolate icecream, I don’t know if there’s a word out there to describe what that tastes like.  Perhaps death?  This is TO DIE FOR, for sure!

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Pistachio Falooda: Serve it Chilled or Not Chilled!

So, the other evening, I was taken by a sudden urge to put to good use the ready-made mix of Pista Falooda- the flavored milk drink with vermicelli and lots of dry fruits like pistachios, kaju, kishmish, charoli, and flavored with rosewater.  It was a simple set of instructions:  boil the milk, add the mix, bring to a rolling boil, simmer for a while, then let it cool and finally chill before you serve it.  Well, I did all of the above except wait for it to chill.  I didn't because I couldn't wait!  And so, when it got lukewarm, I poured some into a tall tumbler and had it as is.  The result:  Lajawab! 

And so, I am here to tell you that you don't always have to follow instructions all the way down to the last point.  Well, let me qualify that statement:  make that cooking instructions!  Because sometimes, when you are bold enough to go off on your own and create your own little way of doing things, voila, you've invented something new!  Which is exactly what I did: serving pistachio falooda lukewarm!  Here's my glass for your viewing pleasure.  My green bedside table on which I'd placed it makes it look even more attractive, don't you think? 

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Income Tax Cocktail: Your Beverage for Tonight!

April 15 is tax day in the USA. This year we get until April 18, Monday. But I put mine in the mail to Uncle Sam today. (p.s.: i file joint-returns w/ my spouse, just fyi!)

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