The Real Persian Music

We had the chance to listen to three live musicians and, on our long bus rides, to watch a video of the Rastak Group which specializes in Persian folk music. I thought they were brilliant. If you want to listen to them, here is the link to one of my favorite songs, the Azuri Gal Gal youtube.

A fellow was playing the tar as we ate our very first dinner in Tehran. I’m afraid that given our jet lag and the first venture into Persian food for many, we didn’t pay as much attention to him as we would have later in the trip.

We visited Moslem Mirzazadeh in his shop in Yazd where he makes beautiful traditional instruments. He played both the tar and in this photo the settar for us.

In Esfahan at the Hasht Behesht Palace, we listened to a fellow who is doing a project he calls Music in the Palaces. He comes there every morning at 8:30am to play the tar for an hour. Reza, our incredible Iranian guide, importuned him to stay a bit longer to play for us.

In the Real Persian Markets

We walked through a number of bustling markets in Iran. Lots of people and great variety in the goods and services offered. Often sellers of a particular item—like pounded copper or gold jewelry or kitchen equipment or spices—would be in the same market location.

Hamadan

Members of our group bought scarves which were part of our required attire.

A fellow in a bread shop, proudly showing us the end result. Reza, our guide, bought us some, fresh out of the oven. So good.











Zanjan

Men selling small green sour plums, along with fruit you recognize.









Tabriz

Arched ceilings enclose many of the markets we visited.

Shops selling wedding accoutrement, including shoes and sugar cones which are rubbed together at the end of the ceremony to sprinkle the newly weds with sweetness for years ahead.





Mashhad

The market in Mashhad primarily caters to the pilgrims from all over the country visiting the shrine of Imam Reza, the eighth imam of the Shi'a Muslims. He is the only one buried in Iran. Lots of trinkets and a profusion of black fabrics.

Also rows of male mannequins. Very strange I thought.









Shiraz

Shops in Shiraz sell very brightly colored cloth in contrast to the shops in Mashhad. Nomads living in the area wear incredibly sparkly dresses.

Esfahan

There are a number of artists and artisans practicing traditional crafts in Esfahan's market. I’m going to devote a post to them later on. Here I want you to admire the various food shops: strawberries brought into the market in a wheelbarrow, greens and spices, and beautiful vegetables.

Caravanserai: The Real Stopping Place for Camel Caravans and Other Weary Travelers

In the 17th century (Safavid Dynasty), Abbas I set out to build 999 caravanserai to accommodate the camel caravans traversing Persia on the Silk Road(s). There were already lots of them in existence but he had a plan to boost the economy in a major way. We stopped at several as we were crossing Iran in our bus and passed many more that were in ruins.

Here we are in a caravanserai, converted to a restaurant, awaiting our dinner in Zanjan. It is not especially comfortable for foreigners, unaccustomed as we are to sitting on the floor. But the food was great and we ate it as best we could without dribbling on ourselves or the carpets. Fortunately our waiters spread plastic to protect them.

On the way to Jolfa, close to the northern border with the Republic of Azerbaijan, we stopped for tea and cookies at a refurbished caravanserai, soon to be opened as a hotel catering to skiers. The raised platform in the center of most caravanserai are for unloading and reloading the camels coming in through the one entrance.

The caravanserai in Meybod has been turned into a shopping area with a rug museum in the back corridor. The entrance is graced with a beautiful dome. One shop featured small pottery bird whistles which were very popular with our group and gathered school children. When the shop keeper returned with a box to refresh her supplies, I noticed that it was stamped Made in China.

This is a photo of our hotel in Esfahan before it was converted to the quite grand Hotel Abassi.

THAI YELLOW CHICKEN CURRY- Easy step by step recipe

It is after a long hiatus that I am writing this post, but I do promise to be regular from now on, I would also like to thank each one of my readers who have been regularly writing in to me for their queries or suggestions.Please do keep writing in at bindiyasingh7@gmail.com.
Today I made this warm, milky, flavorful Thai curry which is very comforting eaten with freshly boiled basmati or jasmine rice, it scores high on the nutrition scale too and is tasty to boot, so lets get cooking!
Thai yellow curry paste is easily available at all supermarkets and is easily distinguishable from its Red and Green counterparts, using Coconut milk from a tetrapack is so easy and I definitely prefer it over the elbow grease of extracting milk from fresh coconuts.

Ingredients-

• Boneless Chicken- 500gms
• Coconut Milk- 200 ml (freshly squeezed from 2 coconuts or packaged)
• Thai yellow curry paste-50 gms
• Refined oil-2 tbsp
• French beans- a handful, top and tail
• Brinjals(long variety)- 2-3 sliced lengthwise
• Cauliflower(separate into florets) 1/2 cup
• Carrots-1/2 cup diced, if desired
• Cilantro/ Coriander- for garnish
• Salt and black pepper to season

Method-

1. Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan and empty the contents of Yellow Curry paste(easily available at all supermarkets).Fry for a minute.
2. Add the washed Chicken pieces and continue frying on low heat for another 5-8 minutes.
3. Next tip in the coconut milk and stir well, add salt.
4. Add the veggies and cover, add 1/2 cup more water if required.
5. Cook for another 15-20 minutes till the Chicken and veggies are both cooked through, taste and adjust seasoning.
6. Garnish with cilantro and serve with freshly boiled rice.Enjoy!

OT Tip - Summer Activity Ideas Pt. 2

Last week we talked about summer activity ideas for your children. This week I will continue that topic and focus on Finger Dexterity, Bilateral Coordination, Visual Perceptual Skills, and Scissor Skills. If you missed last week's post, you can read Summer Activity Ideas Pt. 1.

Here are some activity ideas for Finger Dexterity:

• Press cookie cutters into dough or putty
• Play with finger puppets
• Play pick-up sticks game
• Screw and unscrew small lids, nuts & bolts
• Fold paper (i.e. origami, airplanes etc.) 
• Hold a handful of marbles, transferring one at a time into a container 
• Draw shapes & write words in a variety of medium (i.e. shaving cream, sand, finger paint, hair gel in  a baggie, etc.) 
• Draw designs on an Etch-A-Sketch board
• Play board games with small pieces to manipulate (i.e. small Connect 4, Trouble, Chinese Checkers, Chess, Bedbugs etc.) 
• Use fingers to sprinkle toppings on food (i.e. sprinkles, shredded cheese etc.) 

Bilateral Coordination

• Roll dough with a rolling pin 
• Hand clapping games 
• Squeeze objects (i.e. glue, bubble bear, etc.) with both hands 
• Use both arms to twirl streamers, scarves etc. 
• Build with Legos 
• Trace patterns on paper 
• Draw a picture using stencils
• Tear lettuce into pieces to make a salad 
• Spread icing on cookies, cakes, etc. 

Visual Perception 

• Copy patterns/pictures using shapes, pegs etc. 
• Put together models
• Dot-to-dots 
• Mazes
• Hidden pictures 
• Word searches
• Put together puzzles
• Use changeable markers to improve tracing skills 

Scissor Skills

• Simulate cutting motion by transferring objects with bubble tongs 
• Cut straws into small pieces and string to make a necklace 
• Cut play dough/putty 
• Cut shapes out of foam 
• Cut picture from cereal boxes 

Other Miscellaneous Ideas 

• Allow your child to write/color/play while in a variety of positions
• Standing at a chalkboard/easel/window
• Lying on stomach on the floor
• Kneeling at a work surface 
• Side sitting on the floor
• Store items in containers that require strength/dexterity to open/manipulate 
• Ziploc bags
• Film containers 
• Coffee cans
• Plastic jars with screw lids
• Containers with clasps

PRINTABLE VERSION

I hope these gave you some great ideas for summer ideas! Have fun!!