Monday, May 21, 2012

I spy with my little eye

carrotsalad2


Sometimes I get all funny and start thinking about people and how we perceive the world. More often than not, these ideological thoughts come to me when I'm alone, waiting for a train, clocking up some great people watching time.

Sometimes, I find myself stuck staring at things. I notice little details and the rest of the world fades out.
It's not that I actively seek out things that intrigue me, but I can't help but find myself being drawn to certain objects or landscapes that resonate with me and what's going on in my head.
The door frames of big buildings, front lawns and gardens and hiding cats, the chick sitting at the cafe across the road having an in depth conversation with her mother, the tiny mosaic tiles on a house's front steps, or the not yet ripe half oranged-oranges swaying in a tree. What type of runners the person next to me on the treadmill is wearing, or the cheese wheel sale at Harris Farm markets on a Thursday night that everyone else is ignoring. I don't know why these little details jump out at me but they just do.

While I look at a mushroom and think "get in my belly" someone else could see it as a stewed up soggy old mess. When I see a stinky old dog on the street, I want to snuggle it, whereas I'm sure many would pass up the opportunity for potentially catching rabies. When I see a packet of banana flavoured gum, I must have it, while another would gag at the thought.

The best thing is that I love thinking that the person walking next to me could be missing all these little moments or snapshots, because they are too busy silently acknowledging something or someone that I wouldn't even bat an eyelid at.
Why am I sharing all this with you? Again, who knows. But in reward for you listening to my much less intelligent than Socrates-esque ramble, I offer a recipe for the taking. Now excuse me, I'm just off to awkwardly listen in on peoples conversations on the train and conjure up their life stories in my head...cos that's what I do.

carrotsalad1

Moroccan Carrot Salad

about 400g carrots, peeled and sliced into long batons
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons honey
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon sumac, or paprika
1 large handful of coriander
1 large handful of parsley
300g baby spinach (or about 2 cups) 
1 x 400g can chickpeas, drained
250g soft goats cheese, or feta cheese

In a bowl, combine the cumin, honey, vinegar, sumac/paprika, olive oil  and roughly chopped coriander and parsley. Stir until combined.

In a large bowl place the carrots. Boil a kettle - once its boiled pour the hot water over the carrots and cover the bowl. Leave aside for about 4-5 minutes.

Drain the carrots, add to the bowl with the dressing and chuck in the spinach and chickpeas. Toss all the ingredients together  -the warm carrots with encourage the dressing to coat everything evenly and will lightly wilt the spinach.
Just before serving crumble over the goats cheese or feta.

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