karmakurma

( Warning! Motorbike photographs ahead! )

Ingredients:

• 1 block extra firm tofu
• 2 cups carrot ginger soup (or make your own by pureeing 1.5 cups shredded carrots and half a teaspoon of ginger paste with 1 cup of water in the blender)
• 1/4 cup pine nuts

Drain the water from the tofu (lightly dab with a paper towel) and slice into squares (rectangles will do too) with a thickness of about 1/2 a centimeter. You should get about 16 squares from one block of tofu. Spray a baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. Cover the bottom and sides of the pan with aluminum foil (Makes for easy clean-up). Spray some non-stick cooking spray on the foil and gently arrange the tofu squares on the foil. Pour the carrot ginger puree on top of the tofu squares. You should use just enough puree to drown the tofu squares. Sprinkle the pine nuts on top, and sprinkle a little salt to taste (I also like to sprinkle some chilly flakes for some heat). Bake in a pre-heated oven at 350 F for about 90 minutes, or till the puree is fully baked into the tofu squares. Plate and garnish with some julienned carrot slices and dried herbs.

Nutrition information

• 1 Block extra firm tofu - 400 calories / 10 grams of carb.
• 2 cups Trader Joe’s carrot ginger soup - 140 calories / 32 grams of carb.
• 1/4 cup pine nuts - 190 calories /5 grams of carb.

16 servings (pieces) - 730 calories / 47 grams of carb.

Suggested serving - 4 pieces - 182.5 calories / 12 grams of carb.

You can reduce some of the calories by making your own carrot ginger puree.

I made one of those unplanned and spontaneous visits to Thailand a few summers ago. I wanted to soak up the culture, and also sample the cuisine, with an emphasis on food from street vendors and local markets. I was in love hook, line and sinker with the primary ingredients of thai cuisine: coconut milk, kafir lime leaves, galangal, lemongrass and basil. On landing in Suvarnabhoomi Airport on a typical sultry summer night, I headed to the hotel and dumped my stock of slide film in the refrigerator. Heat can do a number on film, sometimes rendering them useless.

The next day, I headed to the local markets by the river. These markets by the river are beehives of activity.

 

When it comes to the Bass guitar, there is God, and then there's Victor Vooten. Click on the photograph for more pictures from the Flecktones concert.

'Nuff said.

Jorge works with me at Summa. He's the kind of guy i'd go to war with. Great work ethic, and a can-do attitude. I was at his place for dinner tonight. Warm family, with typical gracious Mexican hospitality. Danny is too cute.

Hemant and Shipra are from Panipat. Aaryan is going to be one year old next month. Terrific folks, and great neighbours.

French light artist Lucette de Rugy has painted a selection of Pittsburgh buildings using Tiffany glass-inspired themes. I went to three of the sites (Katz Building, Highmark Building and the Omni William Penn Hotel) and snapped photographs. I plan to photograph the remaining three installations (One more by Lucette de Rugy, and two by Pittsburgh's own Rob Long) sometime this week.

When:

• 9 p.m. - 1 a.m. through June 30

Where:

• Katz Plaza, Seventh and Penn Avenues
• Omni William Penn Hotel, 530 William Penn Place
• Back facade of the Duquesne Ligh Building at 411 Seventh Ave
• Penn Avenue Place at Stanwix St
• Buildings on both sides of the street at Ninth and Penn Avenues

There's a bunch of plants at the spot by the exit barrier of the 1st avenue parking garage in Pittsburgh. I was carrying my camera today, since i've been trying to take one good photograph a day as part of the PAD project. The combination of a brief shower and the arrangement of the leaves was a no-brainer. I got a few curious glances from fellow parkers exiting the garage. Who would have thought there was beauty outside a public parking garage?

Inspector Gadget was filmed at PPG Place in Pittsburgh. It could easily pass off as Superman's crystal abode.

Just got back from an amazing concert by Kumaresh and Ganesh at the SV Temple. These two brothers have mastered the violin. Sometimes, it sounded like a symphony, yet there were just two of them on stage. There is such joy in hearing great music, that too from those who have mastered their instruments, yet have fun every time they play. Click on the photograph for the complete set on flickr.

Commencement day at CMU; My cousin's son, Ganesh, graduated with a CS major.

Marc came into this world on May 17th 2007. Marc is the son of Nisha and Joyson Jacob, and younger brother of Matthew Jacob.



May you have a healthy, happy and peaceful life.

Happy mother's day, mom!


I cooked lunch for mom today. Thai curry noodles, with five spice marinated tofu, and pesto buttermilk biscuits. Thanks for everything, mom.

Update: The recipe is at http://srirambala.com/?p=228

Beyond midnight, and the light's still on
Can't hit the sack, sleep betrays me
Thoughts fly by, like butterflies on a spring day
Even the sheep betray me tonight
The eyes, I can forcibly close,
But blissful sleep, is but a distant dream
I hope I sink into sound slumber
Sunday beckons,
Sunny days, shimmering rivers,
Graceful bridges, smiling faces

I will my self to sleep
No insomnia induced verses
Just dreams, or nightmares maybe?