1. World History.
It's a bit sad but the Indian education system does not teach us nearly enough about world history. Here I am particularly thinking about European history, which is often entirely neglected. Some of it is natural because history in itself is only interesting when there is some context, usually from contemporary society, in which to understand its implications. Then there's the fact that there's enough goings-on in the history of the Indian subcontinent that themselves could use a more elaborate treatment than what is already given in Indian history books. And finally, one is often far too busy developing other skills, getting good grades, and just generally mucking about that the school system doesn't leave too much time to truly invest time in contextualizing history and developing a deeper appreciation for it.
The fact that I've been living in the US for over 8 years now, it's always felt like a glaring omission in my knowledge system to not have a better understanding of how the Western world has got to where it has gotten to be. So it was a fortuitous when about a year ago, I was introduced to Dan Carlin's Hardcore History podcast series. And its had me hook, like and sinker ever since. Before, I would listen to these podcasts on long drives. It started with Dan's 24-hour podcast on World War 1 which he broke up into ~4 hour chunks. A few drives to Boston and back were enough to go over this podcast, and it really has changed my world. I cannot overstate how amazing it was to learn of great military generals and their personalities, war strategy, geopolitical machinations, and how war motivated the development of new machinery. Scenes of the first gas attacks in WW1 (link), trench warfare, sudden truces to celebrate Christmas (link), the bloodshed in Verdun, the justification of war by Woodrow Wilson (link), the Shlieffen plan, the role of Bolshevik philosophy in demoralizing German troops on the eastern front, all these are just etched into my mind. I just feel like I understand a lot better the history of the modern world in the light of these things, and its a wonderful feeling.
Since then, I've poured 10+ hours on a history of the American Revolution (I am obsessed now with the beauty of the Bill of Rights!), 10+ hours on the fall of the Roman Republic (I cannot believe how advanced Rome was and how eerily similar the political and economic compulsions are to today's times; it is no wonder that the fathers of the American constitution thought so much about the fall of Rome when creating the constitution and the Bill of Rights!), 6+ hours on the rise of Genghis Khan, and now am 40+ hours into a podcast on the French Revolution. It's been fantastic. I listen on the way to work and on my way back. It's the best use of the time.
2. Risotto.
Pics will be posted some other time. I've perfected the asparagus risotto, next comes pea and baby spinach risotto, and finally, mushroom risotto. Mmmmmhhhhhhh.
Recipe: (makes 2.5 of the portion pictured above)
a. 3 cups of water go in with an ample amount of vegetable stock concentrate into a small pot. Bring to boil.
b. Add chopped asparagus into boiling stock. Cook for 1-2 minutes and drain into ice cold water. Turn off the heat on the stock.
c. Saute 1/2 chopped white onion on medium heat for 3 minutes in 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan. Add salt/pepper.
d. Add 3/4 cups of arborio rice and saute for 1.5 minutes on high heat. Keep heat high from here on. Add 1/2 cup of stock to the pan, and mix with a ladle to help the rice
e. Keep adding 1/2 a cup of stock to the rice mix at a time, stirring continuously, until the stock is soaked up by the rice.
e. Finely chop 2 cloves of garlic. Use one teaspoon of salt as an abrasive to mince the garlic and bring out its juice.
f. On the last 1/2 cup portion of the stock (~14 minutes after first 1/2 cup of stock is added), add the garlic/salt mix, 1 tablespoon butter (or more), a little bit of shredded parmesan cheese (no powder cheese). Stir. At the 18 minute mark after having added the first 1/2 cup of stock, add the asparagus. Mix everything.
g. After the rice has soaked most (but not all) of the stock, and is nice and gooey, with a bit of runniness, remove the pan from heat and let the rice breathe for 1 minute. Done.
What a wonderful feeling I get everytime I eat this stuff.
It's a bit sad but the Indian education system does not teach us nearly enough about world history. Here I am particularly thinking about European history, which is often entirely neglected. Some of it is natural because history in itself is only interesting when there is some context, usually from contemporary society, in which to understand its implications. Then there's the fact that there's enough goings-on in the history of the Indian subcontinent that themselves could use a more elaborate treatment than what is already given in Indian history books. And finally, one is often far too busy developing other skills, getting good grades, and just generally mucking about that the school system doesn't leave too much time to truly invest time in contextualizing history and developing a deeper appreciation for it.
The fact that I've been living in the US for over 8 years now, it's always felt like a glaring omission in my knowledge system to not have a better understanding of how the Western world has got to where it has gotten to be. So it was a fortuitous when about a year ago, I was introduced to Dan Carlin's Hardcore History podcast series. And its had me hook, like and sinker ever since. Before, I would listen to these podcasts on long drives. It started with Dan's 24-hour podcast on World War 1 which he broke up into ~4 hour chunks. A few drives to Boston and back were enough to go over this podcast, and it really has changed my world. I cannot overstate how amazing it was to learn of great military generals and their personalities, war strategy, geopolitical machinations, and how war motivated the development of new machinery. Scenes of the first gas attacks in WW1 (link), trench warfare, sudden truces to celebrate Christmas (link), the bloodshed in Verdun, the justification of war by Woodrow Wilson (link), the Shlieffen plan, the role of Bolshevik philosophy in demoralizing German troops on the eastern front, all these are just etched into my mind. I just feel like I understand a lot better the history of the modern world in the light of these things, and its a wonderful feeling.
Since then, I've poured 10+ hours on a history of the American Revolution (I am obsessed now with the beauty of the Bill of Rights!), 10+ hours on the fall of the Roman Republic (I cannot believe how advanced Rome was and how eerily similar the political and economic compulsions are to today's times; it is no wonder that the fathers of the American constitution thought so much about the fall of Rome when creating the constitution and the Bill of Rights!), 6+ hours on the rise of Genghis Khan, and now am 40+ hours into a podcast on the French Revolution. It's been fantastic. I listen on the way to work and on my way back. It's the best use of the time.
2. Risotto.
Pics will be posted some other time. I've perfected the asparagus risotto, next comes pea and baby spinach risotto, and finally, mushroom risotto. Mmmmmhhhhhhh.
 |
| The Asparagus Risotto. |
a. 3 cups of water go in with an ample amount of vegetable stock concentrate into a small pot. Bring to boil.
b. Add chopped asparagus into boiling stock. Cook for 1-2 minutes and drain into ice cold water. Turn off the heat on the stock.
c. Saute 1/2 chopped white onion on medium heat for 3 minutes in 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan. Add salt/pepper.
d. Add 3/4 cups of arborio rice and saute for 1.5 minutes on high heat. Keep heat high from here on. Add 1/2 cup of stock to the pan, and mix with a ladle to help the rice
e. Keep adding 1/2 a cup of stock to the rice mix at a time, stirring continuously, until the stock is soaked up by the rice.
e. Finely chop 2 cloves of garlic. Use one teaspoon of salt as an abrasive to mince the garlic and bring out its juice.
f. On the last 1/2 cup portion of the stock (~14 minutes after first 1/2 cup of stock is added), add the garlic/salt mix, 1 tablespoon butter (or more), a little bit of shredded parmesan cheese (no powder cheese). Stir. At the 18 minute mark after having added the first 1/2 cup of stock, add the asparagus. Mix everything.
g. After the rice has soaked most (but not all) of the stock, and is nice and gooey, with a bit of runniness, remove the pan from heat and let the rice breathe for 1 minute. Done.
What a wonderful feeling I get everytime I eat this stuff.
