Book Log 12/2009 - Masques

Patricia Briggs: Masques – Sianim #1

I borrowed this from a friend because I wanted to read Patricia Briggs first novel – and as it happens this is also the first in her three interrelated, but stand-alone Sianim novels. This one tells the story of the shapeshifter, Aralorn, sent to spy on the head-honcho wizard, the powerful Geoffrey ae’Magi, irresistibly charismatic but deeply evil, who has most of the nobles in his thrall. Only a few can see through him to the darkness beneath and these include the young king of Reth, Myr, now an outlaw and freedom fighter in his own kingdom and Wolf, Aralorn’s occasional companion and – she suspects – very much more than the wolf he appears to be.

Aralorn is a straightforward heroine, courageous, determined and brave. Far more interesting is Wolf, shapeshifter, magic user and... a man with a secret as big as a double-decker bus following him round.

Fighitng against Geoffrey’s magic and the creatures he has created by dark and bloody rituals, Aralorn and Wolf, aided by unseen well-wishers, must risk facing the master magician in his own stronghold, not once, but three times.

In comparison to Patricia Briggs' later work this book displays some first novel flaws in terms of tension and opportunities missed, but it’s a good read from beginning to end. A slight book but with plenty of promise which has certainly been fulfilled.

Book Log 12/2009 - Masques

Patricia Briggs: Masques – Sianim #1

I borrowed this from a friend because I wanted to read Patricia Briggs first novel – and as it happens this is also the first in her three interrelated, but stand-alone Sianim novels. This one tells the story of the shapeshifter, Aralorn, sent to spy on the head-honcho wizard, the powerful Geoffrey ae’Magi, irresistibly charismatic but deeply evil, who has most of the nobles in his thrall. Only a few can see through him to the darkness beneath and these include the young king of Reth, Myr, now an outlaw and freedom fighter in his own kingdom and Wolf, Aralorn’s occasional companion and – she suspects – very much more than the wolf he appears to be.

Aralorn is a straightforward heroine, courageous, determined and brave. Far more interesting is Wolf, shapeshifter, magic user and... a man with a secret as big as a double-decker bus following him round.

Fighitng against Geoffrey’s magic and the creatures he has created by dark and bloody rituals, Aralorn and Wolf, aided by unseen well-wishers, must risk facing the master magician in his own stronghold, not once, but three times.

In comparison to Patricia Briggs' later work this book displays some first novel flaws in terms of tension and opportunities missed, but it’s a good read from beginning to end. A slight book but with plenty of promise which has certainly been fulfilled.

Low-cal curry

I'm sending out f-locked posts to a small group of people who are on my weight-watching list. (I've lost ten pounds so far.) If you want to be on my weekly bulletin let me know and I'll add you to that list - but I appreciate it's not for everyone.

Anyhow, tonight I've made a big curry and thought I'd share the recipe.

Jacey's Low Cal /Low Fat Curry

This makes a big pot that feeds about 6 people depending on appetites.
I like my curry mild but flavourful. Add more curry paste if you like it hotter.

Onions - 2 large, peeled and chopped
Leeks - 1 large or 2 small, washed and chopped (If no leeks you can add an extra onion)
Carrots - 2 large, peeled and chopped into small pieces
Parsnip - 2 small or one larger peeled and chopped into small pieces
Cauliflower - half a decent sized head, chopped small
Red chilli - 1 de-seeded and chopped small
Apple - 1 large Braeburn or similar, peeled, cored and chopped
Ginger marmalade - 1 heaped teaspoon
Black raisins - 1 tablespoon - optional
Canned chopped tomatoes with garlic - 2 cans (though you could manage with one and add some fresh tomatoes
Curry paste - I used Sharwood's Balti tonight, about a quarter of a jar but more or less to taste. You can augmenty it with a little curry powder and cayenne pepper to taste.
Salt to taste (not much)
Meat - either a small amount of chicken breast (say 3 smallish breasts for the whole pot) or a bit of fresh or frozen lamb mince - say 250 g for the whole pot. Meat is optional, you could just add a couple of extra carrots and parsnips and maybe another onion and have a vegetable curry.
NOTE: no oil apart from what's in the curry paste

It makes about 6 - 8 normal sized portions depending on your definition of normal (BB can easily eat twice as much as I can and he calls his portions normal as well.)

A small portion of basmati rice to go with it is only 1.5 points or 3 points for a bigger portion. Yum.

Prepare all the veg. Obviously it doesn't matter if you substitute extra carrots for the parsnips or the other way around. This is probably never the same twice.

Sweat the onions and leeks very slowly until soft but not caramelised
Add the remaining fresh vegetables and fruit, allow to cook gently with the onions for about 15 minutes.
Add the curry paste and stir in thoroughly
Add the canned tomatoes and ginger marmalade.
Simmer for about an hour. Check seasoning and add more curry paste if necessary. (If it's too hot add some more marmalade and some cooked chopped potatoes.)

If using lamb mince add it now and simmer for a further fifteen minutes.

If using chicken breast, chop it into thin slices add it right at the end. Simmer for only as long as it takes to cook the chicken through. (Don't overcook it so that the chicken dries out.)

This can all be prepared in advance and reheated on the stove top, but if preparing in advance i would still cook the chicken from raw at the last minute as it will be much more moist and tender.

Serve over basmati rice.

Don't forget the naan bread, poppadoms, raita and pickles add more calories than are in the curry. The weight watchers cost is 3 points for a portion of the curry roughtly equivalent to a sixth of this, plus 1.5 points for a sdmall portion of rice of 3 points for a larger portion

Low-cal curry

I'm sending out f-locked posts to a small group of people who are on my weight-watching list. (I've lost ten pounds so far.) If you want to be on my weekly bulletin let me know and I'll add you to that list - but I appreciate it's not for everyone.

Anyhow, tonight I've made a big curry and thought I'd share the recipe.

Jacey's Low Cal /Low Fat Curry

This makes a big pot that feeds about 6 people depending on appetites.
I like my curry mild but flavourful. Add more curry paste if you like it hotter.

Onions - 2 large, peeled and chopped
Leeks - 1 large or 2 small, washed and chopped (If no leeks you can add an extra onion)
Carrots - 2 large, peeled and chopped into small pieces
Parsnip - 2 small or one larger peeled and chopped into small pieces
Cauliflower - half a decent sized head, chopped small
Red chilli - 1 de-seeded and chopped small
Apple - 1 large Braeburn or similar, peeled, cored and chopped
Ginger marmalade - 1 heaped teaspoon
Black raisins - 1 tablespoon - optional
Canned chopped tomatoes with garlic - 2 cans (though you could manage with one and add some fresh tomatoes
Curry paste - I used Sharwood's Balti tonight, about a quarter of a jar but more or less to taste. You can augmenty it with a little curry powder and cayenne pepper to taste.
Salt to taste (not much)
Meat - either a small amount of chicken breast (say 3 smallish breasts for the whole pot) or a bit of fresh or frozen lamb mince - say 250 g for the whole pot. Meat is optional, you could just add a couple of extra carrots and parsnips and maybe another onion and have a vegetable curry.
NOTE: no oil apart from what's in the curry paste

It makes about 6 - 8 normal sized portions depending on your definition of normal (BB can easily eat twice as much as I can and he calls his portions normal as well.)

A small portion of basmati rice to go with it is only 1.5 points or 3 points for a bigger portion. Yum.

Prepare all the veg. Obviously it doesn't matter if you substitute extra carrots for the parsnips or the other way around. This is probably never the same twice.

Sweat the onions and leeks very slowly until soft but not caramelised
Add the remaining fresh vegetables and fruit, allow to cook gently with the onions for about 15 minutes.
Add the curry paste and stir in thoroughly
Add the canned tomatoes and ginger marmalade.
Simmer for about an hour. Check seasoning and add more curry paste if necessary. (If it's too hot add some more marmalade and some cooked chopped potatoes.)

If using lamb mince add it now and simmer for a further fifteen minutes.

If using chicken breast, chop it into thin slices add it right at the end. Simmer for only as long as it takes to cook the chicken through. (Don't overcook it so that the chicken dries out.)

This can all be prepared in advance and reheated on the stove top, but if preparing in advance i would still cook the chicken from raw at the last minute as it will be much more moist and tender.

Serve over basmati rice.

Don't forget the naan bread, poppadoms, raita and pickles add more calories than are in the curry. The weight watchers cost is 3 points for a portion of the curry roughtly equivalent to a sixth of this, plus 1.5 points for a sdmall portion of rice of 3 points for a larger portion