Sorry no pictures – too busy eating. Before I forget though I thought I’d best share the recipes with you of last night’s meal for the Prayer Circle evening. The meats were served on a mixed bed of Sushi rice and plump medium grain rice.
The Asian grocery store near here, actually slices the pork hocks into slices, just short of cutting all the way through the bone. This was seared in 100% coconut oil, (1 teaspoon or so) enough so that the crushed garlic and ginger wouldn’t burn and to give the meat a bit of colour. then I added some chicken stock and curry and let it simmer for a couple of hours. The curry is the cubed curry that you buy in Asian grocery stores, and you can pick your own flavour and temperature, mild, medium or HOT. While it is in simmer mode, I add sliced onion and diced celery.
The oxtails, were given similar treatment. They were seared using the coconut oil, This time I make sure the oxtails are tossed and stir fried until a golden brown, then I add ginger, black bean sauce, some hoisin sauce, and a vegetable mushroom soy, toss some more, then add cooking sake to taste, prior to adding some chicken stock.and cubed king mushrooms. This too is allowed to come to a rolling boil, then simmer for several hours,
Both of the dishes are flavourful, and provide a rich harmonizing gravy for the rice…Often when such meals are served the gravies are their own culinary dish. The reason why the rice is so important to the meal.
The vegetarian balls, are similar to the recipe provided a few blogs back, you can see a picture of the balls on that blog. This time though, I had actual mushrooms in the mix of oyster and mushroom soy, previously cooked mushrooms and carrots that had been cooked in a sauce for another meal.. they were mashed with the potatoes and chick peas providing a different flavour. I added to that minced garlic and grated fresh ginger. Used two eggs with the mix along with about a full cup of Panko (Japanese bread crumbs) They are a good size since I use the ice cream scoop to make them. They hold their shape well. Baked in an oven on a lightly greased pizza pan depending on your oven, take between 1/2 an hour and 45 minutes. When they are a rich golden brown take them out and let them cool. I store them using a muffin tin for each ball.
Obviously I do the above over a two day period. This allows for the flavours to really settle into the dishes. Then when it is time to eat, I bring the pots back into the kitchen and slowly reheat them on the stove. The vegetarian balls can be zapped in the microwave, or eaten cold. This dear reader is the reason living in a country where we have 4 seasons, I offer up these meals when it is late fall or winter and its cold outside. I can use the summer kitchen to keep the dishes cold in their pots over night.
Depending on the group you are serving you can provide along with the meal a plate of fresh veggies or a shredded slaw is good. Keep the greens simple and crunchy.
Beverage to go with the above for me is a glass of cold water, but herbal teas are offered to guests. AFTER the meal. While eating the object of such a prayer circle is to allow your taste buds to enjoy and experience all the different spices and tastes and textures.
Being mindful and exercising you brain and spirituality, is not just sitting in silence, it is learning how to bring the mindfulness into your every day life and activities. Sharing mindfulness with a friend(s) and partaking of an evening where all your senses are employed.
Prayer and “active” meditations are key to having and living a balanced life where spirituality and GOD are part of every second of your day.
after the meal and prior to bedtime, I checked on Q who was showing off her svelte figure, she can eat and it never seems to show! A great evening of sharing, eating, mindfulness. and time for creativity. Amazing =^_^=
Wouldn’t it be nice if our lives could be all planned out in neat little rows, That we could organize, sow and cultivate, knowing that our wants and desires would line up just the way we want them to. The above picture is lovely, it took hours of work, and many people working together to produce this “garden” of colour. Realize that all of their hard work, planning and efforts came to fruition, because they had a clear vision of what their goal was, & what they wanted to achieve The unspoken here, but the obvious, and this dear reader is what we need to remember in life.. without the input and unseen help and support of Mother Nature the outcome could have been much different. We take for granted the air we breathe, the rain that washes over and cleans our planet. Nature is a force that is a constant in our lives – sometimes we rejoice in the sunshine, – we love it and want it all the time, but without the rain our crops would fail, rivers and lakes would run dry, When you cry, you wash away the dust in your eyes, the sadness in your heart grows lighter. Appreciate all of life.
This tranquil setting is in Den Bosch,Nederlands. I invite you to spend a few minutes with me in silent meditation Take a nice easy breath in, ahhh … hold it for just a few seconds, feel it open your lungs, and now… slowly let it out… let your gaze relax, follow the ripples as they slowly meander through our view and into the beyond. See how the stillness in the water captures the images that are beyond our immediate sight….. just because we don’t see them, doesn’t mean they are not there……………………. enjoy this brand new day……………………make it count ……………..I so appreciate and love sharing these moments with you…………………..peace and prosperity be with you…..………….Oyashikiri
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Born/178/63/29
dymoonblog 
Written
on January 18, 2014