BugMeNot

One of the dumbest innovations of the web is "free registration", whch seems to be popular among news sites for some reason. Whether or not you believe that "information wants to be free", there is no rational basis for requiring users to register for unpaid access because the process is so easily circumvented (I keep a couple of fake email accounts expressly for this purpose). In the end, the content provider wastes time and money on development and maintenance of the web site and its software while simultaneously annoying (or possibly losing) its users. I can't count the number of times I've simply not read something because it was hidden behind a login form. That stopped when I finally remembered the three magic words. Bug. Me. Not.

For a quick demonstration, hop on over to BugMeNot and enter the URL of a site that bugs you with free registration. Then install the Firefox extension. (You are using Firefox, aren't you?) The next time you restart your browser, you will be officially free of free registration.

To use the extension, go to a site that requires a free account and right-click on the "user name" or "login" field. The menu that pops up should now have a "BugMeNot" entry. A few seconds after you click on that entry, the login and password fields will be filled in with suitably false information, and you can go right in. Tell Firefox to remember the login and password, and you'll never see that form again.

OK, so I bent the truth earlier. There is one legitimate use for unpaid registration: sharing a useless password with others. If BugMeNot doesn't have credentials for the site, take some time to get a free account, which you can then submit to BugMeNot. Changing the world is that easy. Read more...

Pepe's Egg Curry

Pepe's egg curry is one of my favorite Indian dishes (second only to a good tandoori chicken); I liked it even more once I learned that it was also my grandfather's favorite. The first time I made it, I thought I was doing it wrong. At each step of the way, the coarse ingredients and concoctions before me looked nothing like the rich, savory final product. Then, in one of my most memorable culinary moments, as if by alchemy, I had egg curry almost as good as my mother's. It's a versatile curry, too. I once substituted extra firm tofu for the eggs and ended up with an excellent vegan dish. Mom says it's also a great way to cook mussels. My sister and I have discussed expanding that idea into a seafood stew, which we may try over Christmas. I'll keep you posted on the results.

So, make it already! Gather the ingredients:

• 6 hard boiled eggs
• 2 large white onions
• 4 tbsp unsweetened, grated coconut
• 1 tbsp crushed garlic
• 1 tbsp crushed ginger
• 1 tbsp garam masala
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 4 cloves
• 2 sticks of cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp tamarind paste
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil

Make absolutely sure you get unsweetened coconut! You can find garam masala and tamarind paste at any Indian grocery. While you're there, get some red chili powder (which may be labeled "lal mirch powder")--the crap called chili powder at most supermarkets is worthless.

Start off by making the paste that forms the basis of the curry. Cut the onions into large pieces and brown them on medium heat in a skillet. Toast the coconut and blend it and the onions into a thick, smooth paste, adding a little water as necessary. If you haven't eaten this before, at this point you still have no clue what's forthcoming. If you have, your mouth should begin to water.

Next, get a large pot. I have to remind myself to stay calm here, since there's still a lot to do before the pot fulfills its destiny. Heat the oil in the pot. Add the cloves and cinnamon. When the cloves bulge, add the coconut/onion paste, ginger and garlic, and stir until the oil separates. Add the garam masala, salt, tamarind, turmeric. Also add some of that lal mirch powder if you like. Take a good whiff--oh, yeah, that's the stuff! Add 4 cups of water and bring it to a boil.

Since watching the pot will keep the water from boiling, turn your attention to the eggs. With a little help from you, the eggs and the curry will develop a nice little symbiotic relationship. Quarter one of the eggs and make several slashes in each of the others. The quartered egg flavors the curry, and the slashes help the other eggs absorb all the goodness. Neat, huh?

I assume you've been tasting everything as you've gone along, because, well, what kind of cook would you be if you didn't? But, if you haven't, sample what's brewing on your stove right now. As Jamie Oliver would say, bloomin' gorgeous!

Finally, once the water's boiling, add the eggs, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. You can tuck in immediately, if you like, but the eggs taste better once they've had time to mingle with the curry for a few hours. I recommend saving an egg or two for tomorrow--it's like lookin' at a thing in a bag.

Read more...

Pepe

Pepe
Originally uploaded by nandu.

My grandmother was born Prema Vaidya, but when she married my grandfather, he changed her first name to Jyotsna. No one seemed to notice, though, as everyone continued to call her "Prema" or, affectionately, "Prematai" (the suffix -tai ordinarily used to refer to an older sister). Her first grandchild, my cousin, had a little trouble with "Prematai", and ended up saying "Pepe". As the second grandchild, I adored and emulated my cousin, so I also started saying "Pepe". This time, the new name stuck.

For most of my life, I've had fleeting contact with Pepe, since she mostly lived in India, while I was in the States. She helped my parents care for me and my sister while they were enduring their residencies (I was 4 at the time, and, from what I recall, quite a handful for her at times).

My family visited India a couple of times when I was a child. I remember the smell of Pepe's kitchen as she cooked fish. On one of her visits to the States--I must have been around 12--she humored me by cleaning and cooking the fish I caught, most of which were only slightly too big to be used as bait.

In 1993 Pepe had a stroke, and needed significant assistance. The best thing for her was to bring her to the States, which finally happened in 1999. Of course, that was good for me, too, since I got to see her more frequently after that, and it was a treat every time. The stroke left her unable to speak, but you'd be amazed at how well a person can communicate through gestures and simple vocalizations. She grew accustomed to being cared for around the clock, and was very comfortable expressing her needs: jigsaw puzzles, chocolate, "The Price is Right", and various Indian movies and shows on Zee TV. I started calling her the most pampered person in the world.

Soon after arriving in the States, Pepe began to ask to visit India. After all, she'd spent her whole life there, and had many memories, friends, and relatives there. Finally, this year, she got her wish. Her three daughters, one of my cousins, and my Dad took her home, stopping in England, where one of my aunts lives, over Thanksgiving on the way back. She must have been truly happy and thankful to see her homeland and her family after being away for so long.

Pepe was beautiful and strong, mischievous and stern, compassionate and wise. The light of the world dimmed a little on Thursday, 2 December 2004 as she passed away at the age of 82.
Read more...