Yummy Masala Turkey Burger

This burger recipe is tried and tested on family and friends. Of course, this is one of those do-not-have-time-to-cook busy workday evenings and also too-lazy-to-cook weekend  lunchtimes.
I do make a no "तिखट" (hot) version for my Sh-bear.
A close friend requested this recipe after eating at a recent BBQ lunch party.
The main thing is there is the ingredients. The cooking process is fairly easy.
So here we go.

Ingredients

• 1 pack of lean ground turkey. I get mine from Costco. Make sure it is lean (that's the whole point, DUHH!)
• 7-8 cloves of garlic + 1/2 inch long piece of ginger. Grind these freshly (this is the secret to most amazing flavor for all meat dishes)
• 2 tablespoon coriander powder / धना पाउडर 
• 1 tablespoon jeera powder / जीरा 
• 2 heaping tablespoons of jeera / जीरा 
• 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder / हळद 
• 2 heaping tablespoons of fennel seeds / बडीशॉप 
• 1 handful of finely chopped fresh coriander / कोथिम्बीर  (this you can cary per taste or leave out)
• Juice of half a lemon or 2 tablespoon of lemon juice  / लिम्बु रस 
• 1 teaspoon garam masala (I used the one my Aai makes, which has no second. But you can use store bought. I like Shaan one) / गरम मसाला 
• 2 eggs whole or 1 egg and 1 egg white
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 cup of any cheese you like. I have used Asiago, Cheddar, Parmesan. The best one is the 4 cheese Italian blend from Costco.
• Salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon hot chili powder / मिर्ची पाउडर 
• 1 1/2 tablespoon tandori powder
• 5-6 hot thai chillies / हिरव्या मिरच्या 

NOTE: Everything after breadcrumbs is adjusted per taste.

On that note, actually everything here can be adjusted to taste. I have come up with these metrics after several tries. So make and evolve the ingredients to suite your taste.

Procedure:

• Mix all ingredients together using hands.  It is important that you use hands to mix to make sure everything is incorporated consistently, Use same logic technique as making kebabs.

TIP (विशेष  टिपणी ): If you are making the hot version, please wear gloves. If you do not follow this and hand burns after mixing, putting ghee on burning hand is most effective.
जस  आई म्हणते , आधी तूप माग सूखच सूख !!

• Make patties of the size you like. I make the ones as big as my palm and that one fits well in a burger bun.
• Now that you have enjoyed the aroma all the masala, throw one of a heated skillet, dress up the burger your way and NOM NOM (बका बका खा)
• Freeze the patties on a flat tray for couple of hours. Put in Ziploc bags and enjoy anytime.

TIPS:

• To heat frozen patty, microwave for 30 seconds and then heat on skillet.
• When using on a grille, cook the patty in oven for about 15 mins. This will make sure nothing melts into the coals.
• You can cool the burgers and breakup and add to Mac and Cheese, omelettes
• You can also make chapati roll by using rotis or parathas in stead of burger buns.
• You can change the masala to have southwestern flavor instead of tandoori and use in tacos or burritos.

There you have it.  Turkey burgers that can suit any taste and can be made the way you like and desire.

Enjoy!!

- Leena.

Dreams...

Am writing after a really, really long time..
Am smiling from seeing India beat Pak in the semi-finals of the 2011 WCC; and man, what a high that is..

But I am writing because I was told something by someone special today:

"Capture your dreams..
Hold on to your dreams..
For dreams are like wings to a bird..
If you lose even one..
Then you canno fly..
So hold on to your dreams..TIGHT!!"

What a wonderful, wonderful thought..
Worth reading everyday!!

Some thoughts...

This was sent to me today.
I am saving this for the time I really need it..COMFORTING WORDS..

THE BRICK

A young and successful
executive was traveling down a neighborhood street, going a bit too fast in his new Jaguar. He was watching for kids darting out from between parked cars and slowed down when he thought he saw something.
As his car passed, no children appeared. Instead, a brick smashed into the Jag's side door! He slammed on the brakes and backed the Jag back to
the spot where the brick had been thrown.
The angry driver then jumped out of the car, grabbed the nearest kid and pushed him up against a parked car shouting, 'What was that all about and who are you? Just what the heck are you doing? That's a new car and that brick you threw is going to cost a lot of money. Why did you do it?' The young boy was apologetic.
'Please, mister...please, I'm sorry but I didn't know what else to do,' He pleaded. 'I threw the brick because no one else would stop...' With tears dripping down his face and off his chin, the youth pointed to a spot just around a parked car. 'It's my brother, 'he said 'He rolled off the curb and fell out of his wheelchair and I can't lift him up.'
Now sobbing, the boy asked the stunned executive, 'Would you please help
me get him back into his wheelchair? He's hurt and he's too heavy for me.'
Moved beyond words, the driver tried to swallow the rapidly swelling
lump in his throat.. He hurriedly lifted the handicapped boy back into the wheelchair, then took out a linen handkerchief and dabbed at the fresh
scrapes and cuts. A quick look told him everything was going to be okay. 'Thank you and may God bless you,' the grateful child told the stranger. Too
shook up for words, the man simply watched the boy push his wheelchair-bound brother down the sidewalk toward their home.
It was a long, slow walk back to the Jaguar. The damage was very noticeable, but the driver never bothered to repair the dented side door. He kept the dent there to
remind him of this message: 'Don't go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at you to get your attention!' God whispers in our souls and
speaks to our hearts. Sometimes when we don't have time to listen, He has to throw a brick at us. It's our choice to listen or not.

Thought for the Day:

If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it.
If He had a wallet, your photo would be in it.
He sends you flowers every spring.
He sends you a sunrise every morning Face it, friend - He is crazy about you!
Send this to every 'beautiful person' you wish to bless.
God didn't promise days without pain, laughter without sorrow, sun without rain, but He did promise strength for the day, comfort for the tears, and light for the way.
If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.

I hate to love or I love to hate you…
Sometimes my heart is caught in the
And I am blue, without a clue
For your love exahusts me
Exploits me
Parches me and
Yet out of complete irrationality
I want more of it
So I love you, I chose to love..
I choose to love you and your anger
I choose to love you and your sorrow
I choose to love you and your issues

Survival kit

Today, I was given a DAILY SURVIVAL KIT and I am putting it here to be able to read it everyday..or any particular day I want to really NEED it....

Toothpick ... to remind you to pick the good qualities in everyone,including yourself.

Rubber band ... to remind you to be flexible. Things might not always go the way you want, but it can be worked out.

Band-Aid ... to remind you to heal hurt feelings, either yours or someone else's.

Eraser ... to remind you everyone makes mistakes. That's okay, we learn by our errors.

Candy Kiss ... to remind you everyone needs a hug or a compliment everyday.

Mint ... to remind you that you are worth a mint to your family & Me.

Bubble Gum ... to remind you to stick with it and you can accomplish anything.

Pencil ... to remind you to list your blessings every day.

Tea Bag ... to remind you to take time to relax daily and go over that list of God's blessings.

Goals and such

Sooh,
Back after a hiatus.
Yes, things have been crazy busy for the past 3 months since Diwali. I had too much going on. All good things though; dance, music, pageant prep, New year's party prep and planning; all of that peppered with work and more work.
However, for some strange reason although the past two months have been really really busy, they have been slower than the past 3 years.
I always thought that when one is busy, one does not realize how time passes. However, I am opposite, time passes for me slower when I am not busy, when I procrastinate, when I am NOT working towards a goal.
The thing that has definitely changed in the past 3 months is the surety of a goal.
It has brought so much stability, direction and peace to everything I do.
It seems as though suddenly everything I have done, everything that has happened in the past years suddenly makes sense. ALL OF IT!!
TRULY AMAZING!
I have a feeling that 2010 definitely has something really big, something really spectacular, something really phenomenal, something truly magical in store for me. And all I have to do is keep working towards it!
And I am going to keep working towards that!
NOW, back to work :)

TODAY!!

Posting a poem I found while searching thru some archieves TODAY :)
Need this handy whenever the day demands it..like today does!

---------------

TODAY I will delete from my diary two days:

YESTERDAY and TOMORROW

Yesterday was to learn

And tomorrow will be the consequence

Of what I can do TODAY.

TODAY I will face life with the conviction that

This day will not ever return.

TODAY is the last opportunity I have to live intensely,

As no one can assure me

That I will see tomorrow's sunrise.

TODAY I will be brave enough not to let any opportunity pass me by,

My only alternative is to succeed.

TODAY I will invest my most valuable resource: my TIME,

In the most transcendental work : my LIFE;

I will spend each minute passionately to make of

TODAY a different and unique day in my life.

TODAY I will defy every obstacle that appears on my way trusting

I will SUCCEED.

TODAY I will resist pietism

And will conquer the world with a SMILE,

With the positive attitude of expecting always the BEST.

TODAY I will make of every ordinary task a sublime expression

TODAY I will have my feet on the ground understanding reality

And the stars' gaze to invent my future.

TODAY I will take the time to be happy

And will leave my footprints and my presence in the hearts of others.

TODAY I invite you to begin a new

Where we can that everything we undertake is possible

And we can fulfil it with joy and dignity.

Have a good day and a better one tomorrow!

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