Abi:original - If you aren't original, what are you?

Hello readers, Image by talented son, Daniel Mathias  If you are stuck with vegetarian options (and I know we all are sometimes), this is something that I love to cook.  What is lobia. Well its a bean with a black dot in the centre. Its easily available in the market. Stores well and is full of good protein.  All it takes is a few basic ingredients. Most of the time I scout for recipes online. Make them my own. I often ask my sisters, aunts and have some recipes tucked away. At Ab:original we share. Lobia or black eyed bean is made in various ways. Ingredients: Black eyed beans or peas (called lobia in Hindi) – 1 cup Green chillies – 2 Turmeric powder – 1/4 teaspoon Mustard seeds – 1/4 tsp Oil – 2 tsp (I used coconut oil) Salt – to taste Hing – asafoetida - a pinch Medium sized tomato How to Make Abigail’s Black Eyed Beans 1. Soak the beans overnight or at least for 5-6 hours. Keep it covered in the kitchen. Magically the beans seem ...

With new places opening up in Dubai with almost such a frantic pace, it is hard for writers and reviewers to ever keep up.Have just visited the DXB Grill, a new intimate dining outlet at the Millennium Airport Hotel Dubai. Among a lot of the grilled items it also serves a mean beef steak and a myriad of seafood combinations.  Guests are greeted with a welcome fruit drink and a host of teas and desserts. My favourite was the watermelon.  According to General Manager Simon Moore, with the growing competition in Dubai market, new restaurants have to carve a niche very quickly to catch the attention of the discerning diners. “What we are offering is a culinary theatre – the very best steak and seafood served with flair, but at a price point that is still accessible to the market,” he said.  “The DXB name is familiar to everyone in Dubai who travels through the airport, and the branding will play a key role in the success of the DXB Grill.” ...

The sound of guitars strumming in the fresh air. A soft, gentle breeze and a lot of laughs. This is what great music, be it classical, reggae or folk, does to one's soul. It is the universal feeling most people get when they listen to their favourite tunes. For me, this weekend offered a chance to meet the living legends of my childhood. For anyone who has grown up in a large family, there's always an imaginary revolving door. People are coming and going. Travelling up and down. Some enter your life when you least expect it and others choose to stay away. What remains are the moments of human interaction. The stuff that nostalgia, in any language cannot explain but hopes to do so in song. My interview with the Gipsy Kings was postponed, cancelled and at times even seemed outright impossible. These days every one is on a tight schedule. It is no one's fault. I just made sure I didn't let anything or anyone stop me from meeting the six guys who were there for a sound...

Carrot cake, without the icing but tastes delicious. Its been a crazy few weeks. Anywhere in the world. True the world is spinning on its axis. People are going about their business as if everything is fine but secretly everyone is trying to claim their own territory. Women, men, husbands, wives, single ladies, bachelors, teens, children. All of us have one thing in common. Our drive to move forward. It is what motivates us every day. A chance to forget the past mistakes and look toward the future. As a mother and sister I have to wake up and be there for my children. My own flesh and blood. For me, every day is a chance to make it right. A chance to uplift someone. To rise above the mundane challenges. To answer the tough questions. To just be... As messages pour in from around the world. I hope all of us, no matter where we are, can stop and just take it all in. Do I believe all the hype and hysteria. No? Will I turn to my favourite film stars for the answers? Maybe not....

I've been a student of public speaking since 1992.  That is 15 years. I learnt it from St. Xavier's College Mumbai. A 12 week class where students from various fields put their home work aside and put themselves in front of each other. There's still a lot for me to learn, but this much is true. I've taught at Emirates College of Mass Communications and Information Technology in Dubai. I've also taught for two years at Confident Communications in Al Nahda. I know women and I know they just need to be themselves. One class is enough. Attend it, spread the joy, because every day is a ladies day. The fee is because I know women need to invest in themselves. Nothing comes for free. Classes are in the morning because evenings are for me and my family. Most women know this.  So attend a class and tell your friends. Because it is time to stop complaining and making excuses. There's no time for that. On Internationals Women's Day, lets do somethin...