Pakora's anyone?

I attempted to make pakora's today. I dunno why I started mid afternoon having a hankering for pakora's, but I did. This is weird because I really haven't been feeling well all week. I'm fighting something and my back is reminding me that I'm not 20 anymore. Sometimes though when I'm fighting something I find myself constantly starving. Which has been the case this week.

So my pakora's turned out delicious. They feel more like veggies fried in batter, except it's a chick pea batter. I had too much veggies for my batter. The batter should have been thicker and once cooked should be the same color as falafel. However.. the fried pakora wanna be's were pretty damn good. I'm stuffed. I used onions, red and yellow pepper, green hot pepper, cilantro, carrots, parsnips, zucchini, turnip, potatoes and yams. So that's quite a nice selection of veggies, in chick pea batter or not. I can't believe that despite me putting a full teaspoon of cayenne pepper, I did not find the veggies hot at all. Dunno what it is with me, but ever since my trip to Dubai back in February, I can't get enough of hot peppers and hot food.

Speaking of Dubai, I will be back there in 21 days. I'm leaving Montreal the 29th of November and coming back on the 2nd of January. From December 17th to 27th I'll be in Beirut. Though how wise it is to travel to either location? There was a bridge that collapsed today near where my husband is living, at the Dubai marina. And well I don't need to say much about Beirut and relative safety. I should ask my Lebanese coworkers which ones have decided to buy plane tickets for Christmas...

I can't wait to spend time with my husband. We left one another about 5 months ago at the airport in Beirut and it feels like it has been forever...

I really haven't feel much like blogging the past few months, but I made an effort today at the request of my mother-in-law, who is probably one of the few people who actually reads my blog. [Me waves excitedly at Sonia!!!!]

I'm glad October is over though. I find it hard between mom who died on October 11th, [1999] and dad that died on October 5th [2003]. I feel sorry for my youngest daughter who's birthday is October 7th, and who gets a mom in a mood around her birthday.

At least I will be spending my 45th birthday with my sweetie, at least it will be nice I'm sure he's going to spoil me in some way.. I hope I will be alive enough on his birthday. I arrive in Dubai on the 30th.. so I will be there for his entire birthday... It's funny I can remember last year holding secret conversations with his friend in Abu Dhabi about me showing up for his birthday as a surprise. But I could not pull it off last year. I did not have passport. And it took until the 15th to receive it, though it was issued the 11th of December and expires in 2011 [For Samer who likes 11's and 15's... ] This year it won't be a surprise per say since I planned it probably 7 or 8 months ago... but it will be nice.. we will spend our respective birthdays together for the first time. Create new traditions and new bonds. :) Maybe I will be less pissy on my birthday now :P