Violin Learning Continues

Samantha started having violin lessons in 2009 as a Music requirement for MAPE. She continued it for two years now. When we arrived in Kathmandu, one of the first things we did was to find a music school or violin teacher for her. We found both in Surshala Music Academy. She has one-hour private lessons thrice a week with her teacher, Yogesh. She has performed for our friends at home during intimate gatherings, at her Dad's birthday party, at the Filipino Community Independence Day party, and at our Sangati meetings. 

As a bonus, we have become friends and has reached out to the Academy owner and most staff. 

Ongoing class

Playing "Here in Your Presence"

Playing at Sangati

Our Friends who became our Children's Friends

Blessed to have neighbors whose Moms are Filipinas. Our children have instant friends

Samantha and Karuna

It is interesting to meet people everywhere, much more, make friends with them. Since we have been visiting Nepal, we met a lot of friends. Most of them became our children's friends too. Meet some of them.

Rebecca and Kashmira are our daughters' first Nepali friends this year.

 They are our neighbors - our children's best friends here

 At the Independence Day choir presentation

 I cooked Carbonara pasta for the best friends

Milan and Tita Bing. Milan used to be a staff at the Music School Samantha goes to

Ram - he introduced us to more of his friends and his family too

Tita Faith and Tita Meann, they visited us in June

New friends - Sabina with daughter Isha, Bina and son Prince, Tita Dobs

Sameer sells Pashmina. We have been to his house and met his wife too.

With Milan and Tita Yehlen

The lady hugging Samantha is Didi Sarita - such loving, caring, aunt to them

They have same height! Samantha met two new Nepali friends of Tita Trisha

Our visiting Filipino friends on they day of their trip back to Manila

Issa (aka Samantha) and Isha

With Isha's parents (+ Prince, another friend)

With Tita Dobs- she's the aunt of our daughters' friends in Manila

 A new friend- daughter of a Filipina in Kathmandu

 With Filipino Community friends

 With a friend's dog, among other street dogs our daughters pet

With Ram's family and best friends, Uncles -Babu and Prem

Tito Richard and Tita Rita are such generous friends. They gave us birthday gifts in this foto.

Amreet is the owner of the Music School Samantha goes to. He is also a popular Nepali singer. We went to his gig this night.

We see them almost everyday- our friends and family here in Nepal

Making Roti

Roti (Nepali Non-Leavened Whole Wheat Flat Bread)

Recipe (from www.explorenepal.com)

Ingredients:

• 4 cups whole wheat flour, sifted
• 1 tablespoon melted butter
• 1/2 cup warm milk
• 1/2 cup warm water or as needed
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt

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Cooking Instructions:

In a large bowl, combine the flour, melted butter, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center and add warm water and milk, mixing it with the flour until a soft dough is formed. Dust kneading board with flour; place the dough on the board and knead for ten minutes or so. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for an hour or so. Divide the dough into three-inch balls. Flatten the dough balls into 6-7 inch circles. Cover with plastic wrap.

Heat a cast -iron skillet on medium-high heat. Place one roti on the skillet, top-side down and cook for 30 seconds or so. Turn over and cook for another minute until small air pockets emerge. Turn it over once more and cook for another minute. With a lightly-wet towel, press on the roti, forcing it to develop more air pockets. Keep the finished rotis warm in a towel as you continue to prepare other rotis. Serve hot with vegetable or meat preparations.

HOW WE MADE ROTI

Rolling kneaded flour to flatten it is harder than it seems.

Abbie enjoys helping

Cooking roti. We like it so much!

Momo Recipe

(Recipe Copied from www.food-nepal.com)

 Ingredients

Nepali Meat Momos (Nepalese Meat Dumplings)

Steamed dumplings use very less oil and is very less on carbs. Momo is probably the most well loved meat dish in Kathmandu, Nepal. Momo resembles a lot like Chinese dumpling. But being a Nepalese, we have to say Momo tastes better.

Momo or dumplings are done usually few minutes after wrapper textures turns shiny.

   

(Photo from Wikipedia)

One way to serve momo- in tomato-based broth. 

Otherwise it is best eaten fresh and hot from the steamer, 

dipped in achaar or tomato spicy sauce.

Ingredients

Wrapper
3 cup All-purpose flour
1 cup water
Pinch of salt
(Alternatively, buy egg roll wrapper )

Filling
1 lb ground or minced chicken/turkey/lamb/pork
1 cup onion (finely chopped)
½ cup shallots (finely chopped)
½ cup cilantro, chopped
½ cup diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon garlic paste
1 teaspoon ginger paste
¼ teaspoon turmeric (optional)
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
3 fresh chillies (paste)
4 tablespoon ghee or butter
Salt to taste

Preparation:

Filling:
1	Combine all filling ingredients. Mix well, adjust seasoning according to taste.
	Wrapper: (Disregard step 2-6 if you buy the readymade wrappers)
2	In a bowl combine flour, salt and water. Mix well, knead until the dough becomes similar to pizza dough.
3	Optional step: Cover and let stand for about one hour. Knead well again before making the wrappers.
4	Prepare 1 inch dough balls and roll between your palms to spherical shape.
5	Dust working board with dry flour. On the board gently flatten the ball with rolling pin to about 2 inch diameter circle.
6	Repeat steps 3-4 again for more wrappers.
	Packing Dumpling:
7	Hold wrapper on one palm. Put about 1 spoon of filling in middle of wrapper.
8	With the other hand bring all edges together to center, making the pleats. Pinch and twist the pleats to ensure the absolute closure of the dumpling. Closing the meat inside wrapper is the secret of tasty and juicy dumplings.
	Steaming Dumplings:
9	Heat up water in steamer.
10	Oil the steamer rack well or put cabbage leaves on bottom to prevent dumplings from sticking to rack. Put dumping in steamer.
11	When water boils, close the lid on rack.
12	Steaming until the dumplings are cooked through, about 10-15 minutes.