Therese Motha’s many fans will be happy to hear that she has brought out what might be called a sequel to her very popular book, “Of Cabbages and Things” published in 2001.
That work comprised a collection of the weekly column she wrote for the old `Lanka Woman’ for about 12 years.
“Of Cabbages and Things” – Volume 2 contains a compilation of her column which has appeared – and still appears - in the magazine section of the `Daily Mirror’ every Tuesday.
On the cover of her book, Therese modestly describes her writings as “Being Random Jottings in Diary Form of a Very Ordinary Housewife”. But, as her readers know full well, she is far from being an “ordinary” housewife. Therese is a culinary expert.
Her `Random Jottings’ cover 89 pages of extraordinary information that every housewife will covet. Quick recipes for easy-to-make but inviting dishes, helpful household hints, useful cookery tips, snippets of general information and little nuggets of wisdom worth thinking about, culled from books and magazines.
Not only does she have an easy style, her jottings are compact and to the point and may be read at a glance. If, like me, you are fond of dried sprats (Halmasso) you will jump at an innovative suggestion for frying them.
Deep fry dried sprats, she writes, but don’t make them too dark. Drain. Make tamarind sauce. Into pan, pour tamarind water, add ginger and garlic smashed, and salt. Also add some cut onions and chillie pieces or powder and cook for a few minutes. Add fried sprats and mix. That’s it and I can’t wait to try it!
She gives a recipe for Naan that looks easy, for Breadcrumb Vaddai that is a “quickie”, for a potato, tomato, onion and capsicum (combined) curry that sounds very tempting, a Pasta Stir Fry picked up from her son-in-law who has also published a cookery book.
My eye fell on a quick topping for a cake, where you simply mix together brown sugar and chopped cashew nuts and sprinkle over the top of an unbaked cake. When baked as usual, Therese says it will come out of the oven “already frosted and good to eat”.
These,are just a few that engaged my attention.
Among the many helpful tit-bits of information she provides is one which says that researchers have found that all legumes such as beans and peas, chick peas and green gram, are rich in soluble fibre, potassium, calcium, magnesium and foliate, and all help to lower cholesterol and are heart-healthy to eat. They recommend eating legumes four times a week.
Then there’s a cough remedy she picked off the Internet: Mix a teaspoon of bee’s honey with cinnamon powder and just lick it. She adds that she tried it and it worked.
Every column concludes with a memorable quote. One which caught my attention because of its relevance for us all, despite its having been spoken by Franklin D. Roosevelt over 60 years ago, is: “Today we are faced with the pre-eminent fact that, if we are to survive, we must cultivate the science of human relationships, the ability of people of all kinds, to live together and work together in the same world, in peace”.
Therese’s book is a mine of information that seems, to me, indispensable as a handy compendium on our kitchen bookshelves. I am delighted to place this second volume alongside my well-thumbed copy of her first book |
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