Cilantro-mint chutney + I have no plan

Have you ever done something that made you feel inadequate?

I have done a lot…many in fact, of these things. Looking for a job is one of them. I never seem to have the right qualifications or the required level of so. Before I say any more words, I would like to add that I am not complaining. I can achieve stuff…if I want to. I’m just a little confused and since this is my blog, I can write maybe 4 or 5 paragraphs about it as if it’s no big deal.

Sometimes this way of thinking is a cop out and other times, I really want to know what makes a person successful. Is it a marketing degree? I WANT THAT. I’m joking. I wouldn’t know what to do with it. Is it the same for you?

I hope not. You’re probably smarter than that. You’re likely to face those that seek big things from you. Like a BA in art history. I don’t have one of those either, but not from a lack of trying. Looking for a job to call your own makes you think of a lot of things. How it’s like stand-up comedy, another career I have considered in passing. (I’m more of a comedy writer. Hahaha. Did you get the joke?) Stand-up comedy because you’re saying things that are half-truths, to get somebody to like you and then, reward you. With laughs and maybe money. Even if you don’t believe the embellishment, you are putting yourself out there and that is slightly, bizarrely brave.

How it’s such a game of chance, where you never know the outcome of that resume you sent a year ago. What’s it doing right now? Are people sitting around it and discussing where they tame their short hair? I’ll never know anything except I’d always pick pixie over bob.

How when you finally get this job you were so desperately looking for, you just want to sleep for five more minutes. And then wish you had more time…to write more blog posts, obviously. Or to go on walks – whenever you want and enjoy the 10 minutes of sunshine  that is a very rare and hence, cherished things in these parts. No, take more than 10 minutes. You can do it. Except you can’t. You now have a job.

Yes, I feel inadequate. When I wrote down this imaginary list of things I ought to be doing, having a somewhat, not-so-inspirational time looking for work wasn’t one of them. But that’s alright.

I can take a walk. I have the day off.

I made this thinking it would be a great marinade for chicken. It is. However, it’s also a great chutney, mix-in for creamy dips, on an egg, a sandwich spread and as a topping to get those bowls of food going. I wasn’t sure what to call it but back in the homeland, we would’ve called it pudina (mint) chutney. I’m not sure how the Mughals made it (I’m joking!) but this is how I roll in 2014 – with cilantro. It’s minty and it’s fresh and I love it with leftovers. Take that, Mughals. IT’S A JOKE!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup mint leaves
• 2 cups cilantro leaves
• 1 small green chilli (sold as Thai green chillis at Indian stores)
• 1/2 inch fresh ginger, peeled
• 1 garlic clove (2 if they are small)
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 2  tsp lime juice
• 1/2 tsp of rock salt/coarse grain salt, to taste*
• 2 tbsp cold water

Place all your ingredients – except the salt – in a food processor (with a steel blade) or blender. Add 2 tbsp of cold water. Process all the ingredients until they turn into a paste. The water helps the machine do its job quite smoothly. You won’t need more water, but in case you do, only add a teaspoon at a time. Add the salt to taste and serve  however you please. The cilantro-mint chutney tastes its best on the same day, but you can store it in a glass jar in the fridge for up to a week.

*I used a little more salt but I’ve mentioned the quantity I started with. Sorry, sometimes freestyling gets the best of us.