Week Ending 8 December, 2019

Its beginning to feel like Christmas around here.  On Tuesday we decorated cookies with the Udayan girls.  They had never done anything like it before and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Thursday we had eight people over to work on baby hats and quilts.  Elder Ravi made this little blue hat and as he pulled the strings at the end and the knit tube closed at the top he lit up.  "I have made a hat!" he said.

Shivani, one of our darling YSAs also made a hat.  Her comment on Facebook was "First time I tried a loom hat for service project.  I'm lucky that I got a chance to contribute in this service project."

Thursday morning we went to Old Delhi with Jarom Drummond and his friend Ryan to Haji Shabrati Nihari Wale for nihari, a stew of slow cooked beef or goat shanks.  According to tradition it cooks all night and is eaten in the morning.  "In some restaurants, a few kilos from each day's leftover Nihari is added to the next day's pot.  This re-used portion of Nihari is called taar and is believed to provide the unique flavor.  Some Nihari outlets in old Delhi boast of an unbroken taar going back more than a century."  It was actually quite tasty and reminded us of pot roast with a spicy exotic twist (probably provided in part by the fresh ginger garnish).  The Zomato review of the place is as follows:  Their nihari is awesome, best in the nearby area of Jama Masjid.  This place is as raw with its interior as you can expect so beware to take family out there.

Jarom was brave enough to try the goat brains that the waiter suggested.  We passed.  As we left the restaurant I saw a stack of little skulls next to the pot. 

On the way back to the metro, right around the corner from the nihari wale, we passed this purveyor of brains, hocks and other mysterious animal parts.

We also passed this beautiful fellow, resplendent in the morning light. 

Saturday night we held our annual Interfaith dinner.  It was a fun time and a great success.  We have enjoyed getting to know many interesting people and learning so many things from them. 

Sunday we attended the Lajpat Nagar Ward where we ran into Patricia, who was married a few weeks ago (see the blog before last).  She had on these bangles, traditionally worn by new brides.  She said that although some women wear them for a year, she will only keep hers on for a few more weeks.