Wednesday, September 08, 2010

VIRTUAL BIRTHDAY POTLUCK WEEK. - What will you cook for me on my birthday?


As a child for me (and most people) birthdays meant a big party and lots of presents, a line of thought that continued into adulthood. The 34th year of my life has been one filled with a fair amount of sadness and loss. Of people and an era of the person I used to be. I know I have been very melancholy everywhere, and on this blog as well, as a result. Which is why more than ever, I wanted to cook up a storm for friends this year. But when my internet went off last week, it kind of spoilt my schedule for my book and I ended up having to defer my plans to next week (maybe).


Every year I gather as many people I love as I can fit into my house and cook up a huge meal of one particular cuisine; Thai, Chinese, Mexican Lebanese, cooking was never a chore, I loved immersing myself in it. And it brought the people I loved closer. I love to plan feasts for food and friends, putting together an interesting bunch of people, planning a menu, and getting them all together around a table laden with food. Soon warmth flows through the room, laughter fills the air and I sit back, sip a robust red wine or cuddle a rum and coke and savour the chemistry happening around me; as friendships are strengthened or forged and people reach out and touch each other’s lives.

And then I realised I don’t need to postpone celebrating my birthday.

So you are all invited to my VIRTUAL BIRTHDAY POTLUCK WEEK.

Help me celebrate my birthday by leaving a comment on this post with what you would cook (or serve) me on my birthday. (And if you feel like leaving recipes, I will be more than happy so I have lots of yummy things to make if and when I do have a real party or to make the coming year delicious!)

I can just see my husband rolling his eyes at this one!

Look forward to seeing you online through this week!

Love,
Rushina

25 comments:

Unknown said...

HI Rushina
Happy Birthday. Sorry for the quick comment there. For your birthday potluck I would make my slow slow slow cooked lamb OR/& warm, hearty delicious oxtail stew.
Have a great day..

Anonymous said...

Nice question.Well, I'd like you to try a very special Hyderabadi feast....Menu: shikampoori kebab+ tali machchi+ kursi miyane (starters/gazak); dum ka gosht+ doodh ki biryani/sofyani biryani+ mirch ka salan/baghare baingan/churri (main course); khubani ka meetha/double ka meetha(dessert)....

Anonymous said...

Hmmm... Considering it's shravan and all, how about gatte ki sabji and hot makkai rotis from Rajasthan? :)
Mahithi

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday....
As promised:

http://dumkablog.blogspot.com/2010/09/mirchi-ka-saalan.html

Wishing you a happy 'n prosperous future ahead...

Petals said...

Hi Sweetie

HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY! It has been really nice knowing you!

For your special day, I would like to cook for you Laksa & Pineapple Tarts!

I owe you the recipe for the latter.

Have a wonderful day!

With love
Naseem

Roaring Hippo said...

Di , I am making you fosted cup cakes :) with heart shaped sprinkes on the top..

love u
ne

Bombay Foodie said...

Hi Rushina

Happy Birthday! I will bring you Dorie Greenspan's Perfect Party Cake.
http://foodiezone.blogspot.com/2009/10/happy-birthday-mom.html

Have fun!

What Did you Eat Today said...

Good Morning
Happy Birthday, and I hope we meet very often this year.
Ever since I saw your blog I have been thinking. What would I cook for you - there are so many things - but eventually the food that I am at home with will be my choice a full Konkani or as we say "Amchi" meal.
As far as the recipes go I have a whole book waiting to give you the next time we meet.

kaniska said...

hi rushina. it was providential meeting you at bandra nature's basket. i wish you the very best for your birthday. may there be many more. i'd love to treat you to a full on bangladeshi meal. start off with steamed rice and shutki bhorta (a paste of dried fish, garlic, chillies and many more magical stuff). then we will move on to a thickish stew of jute greens with prawns. the next course will be ilish pulao with none of the fish steaks falling apart. this will be followed by an intensely dark, deep, beef stir fry (bhuna gosht). the crowning glory will be zardaalu, a sweet pulao studded with deep fried cchena ingots. how does that sound?

Sameer Mohan said...

...smthn simple and very happy birthday ... Rushina :)

Srivalli said...

Dear Rushina,

Many happy returns of the Day!

Well birthday parties are special and I can think of many dishes to serve you..:0)

If you are thinking of a vegetrain pleaser then it is Nune Gankaya Kura (Brinjal Gravy Andhra Style) & Thenkaya Pal Annam (Coconut Milk Pulao)..Great combo for parties..

Of course for a non veg menu, it will be a spicy Chicken Biryani!..

Enjoy your day!

DeeMital said...

I dont really have a menu - but individual things that I can make well - like chocolate or plain waffles with freshly cut fruits and honey for breakfast; then kacchi mutton biryani for lunch preceded by a starter of veggies dipped in a garlic/ chives and dahi dip and accompanied by a kachumber raita. This would be followed by Lauki ke lauj or gujiya - both Indian sweets that I make well ...and am sure you would never have had the former! If you prefer an Apple crumble with a thin cinnamon flavoured 'real' custard (not the custard powder thingy).
Dinner would need to be khichdi ;)....after eating all of this...

nonchalantgourmand said...

Happy Birthday !!

I am sure you wont resist a decadent dark Chocolate Souffle freshly baked in ramekins served with a Cointreau flavored vanilla cream reduction and **dark choc-chips (just to add to the birthday fun element)

Anonymous said...

Hi Rushnia,
Dunno why.. But feel like have rock crabs with rice pancakes today.. I think with the rains.. That would be ideal for lunch!!! Umm its lunch time and I have crabs on my mind :) Have a great day.
Rajesh Rodrigues.

Sassy Fork said...

For someone as sweet as you the one dish I would make for you on your birthday would be Bhaapa Doi or Steamed Curds:
One measure of condensed milk,one measure curds and one measure milk all wellblended and steamed for 20 minutes!

Surabhi said...

hmmm - what about Biryani and butter chicken -- I can whip up a mean butter chicken in 20 mins flat!! Biryani on the other hand needs to be ordered - or made by someone who knows the recipe :) !!!

Shaheen {The Purple Foodie} said...

I would bake you some hazelnut crunchies. They go sooo well with he homemade Nutella for dipping.

SK said...

Biryani is still due (from the last time we met) :)

Amishi said...

Happy B'day Dear,
I'd love to bake my special creme brulee tarts for you on your b'day.

Sunshinemom said...

I would love to cook up a whole vegan meal for you. Starting with bharwaan kumbh and a minestrone soup, a home made garlic bread, tarragon rice and rajma, polished off with some chickoo ice cream and my wholewheat espresso chocolate mini cup cakes! And we could chat for hours about food and friends:)and reflect on time gone and time to come:).

Snigdha Manchanda said...

Your daughter would be delighted looking at all the sweet stuff coming your way. So even though I'm a little late I'd like to bring to you some parathas stuffed with capsicum and cheese...this is an all-time favorite of mine, eaten with some spicy tomato chutney on the side.

♥Sugar♥Plum♥Fairy♥ said...

Rushina,i found u ,when i didn even know what a blog was!
It was ur article on loving kitchen tools and from that day am looking for a chef aid:-)
lods of calls later,i still havent found a chefaid:-)

And yeah i wanted that ravioli tool ever since ,and its on its way now:-)

i would love to make Mickey mouse pancakes,ur way , and mickey mouse cookies, my way:-))

And for now , i have a few goodies here
[ http://brightmorningstarsfoodie.blogspot.com/2010/09/vanilla-crushonce-upon-atimeder-lived.html] dat i would love to bring to ya, and ofcourse a little heart cherry cornmeal upside down cake :-)

http://brightmorningstarsfoodie.blogspot.com/2010/09/am-back-with-super-moist-cherry.html

hope u like them all:-))

Happy birthday, with lods of sunshine smiles and hugs a twinkling merry day to ya!!

BP said...

Wishing you a belated birthday - wish i could treat with u with 'shwarma' (or whatever the spelling might be) a lebanese dish (first had it at connaught place,delhi), although i don't know the recipe :(
(may b someone would help).
Have a great life...

PreeOccupied said...

Happy Birthday, came here through K's Finely Chopped.

Ummm...I'd treat you to some homemade Bengali food - Shorshe Ilish or Chingri, Mutton Curry, and some sweets if you have that little sweet tooth...

Saee Koranne-Khandekar said...

Happy birthday, you! I'm new to your blog and I love the warm manner of your writing--it's very inviting and relaxed--the perfect style for a food blog!

I'd make you my recently discovered orange cake with an orange and Nutella topping. :)