In varsity in CPT I took the bus a couple of times. Also in Manchester after Aunty Happys wedding, her boys got us on a bus after a relatively debaucherous night to see more of England. It’s not that I have anything against buses per se, but perhaps just an unwarranted anxiety.
I took the Gabs/Ftwon bus in order to connect and transit to Mambo in a rental car to bid farewell to my friend Shatiso a.k.a Losso, a.k.a Skilly. Man oh man, we have lost a good one, it is so surreal. I got on that bus without batting an eyelid to go see him off at his final resting place. #AGentleGiantHasFallen and will be missed by multitudes and never forgotten. Condolences to all of his family and friends. May God comfort us all during this trying time. The circumstances are what they are, but we take solace in Skilli having brought us all together for all times sake.
Also reminding us all to take stock of how we relate and engage with people. Rest my friend.
The night before our trip, I found one of the boys lunch bags and made a list of snacks to pack for the long ride. I stepped out for a quick store run and made sure to check everything off my list. We had Nutriday yoghurt which would be for breakfast, a phaphata sandwich for brunch, honey mustard pretzels, fried peanuts and water for anytime one would feel peckish. Mom in law, Tsoba, added apples and bananas to the lunch bag in the morning before dropping us off at the bus. Fruits were definitely a great addition, especially banana, which she said would help suppress my need to relief my bladder ever so often. This was a great help, as one of my apprehensions of riding on any transport that I am not in some level of control of, is that I can’t make random bathroom stops as and when required.
The roasted peanuts are my absolute favourite things to snack on. Generally, I like a variety of nuts. I’m not such a connoisseur, but I love regular peanuts, pistachios and cashews as of recent. I feel like I could still broaden my knowledge of different nuts and their tastes. Some stores sell the roasted nuts ready made, but if you don’t find them, it’s pretty easy to make them your self. Fried peanuts are my all-time favourite snack to munch on, and to prep, they can be ready in less than 15 minutes! I just love Hinds spice in most of my curries and snacks. Indian spiced fried peanuts are an addictive snack and a sure fire crowd pleaser. These are crispy, and are perfect for your next party or to enjoy as an all-day munchie!! They hardly lasted on the bus ride, and I recommend them as a great travel snack which I personally will always pack for whatever long trips I take moving forward. . We are loving the entries for the #MoneyInThePotsBW Hinds Curry competition on our ChellzKitchen Facebook page. You too could win cash prizes for buying the spice range and making a submission of your dish. It’s that easy! Follow the page and see instruction on how you can win with the Hinds Curry range.
INGREDIENTS
2 cups peanuts, shelled Salt to taste
2 tsp Hinds cayenne pepper
1 tsp Hinds Curry powder
Few curry leaves
Cooking oil for deep frying
INSTRUCTIONS
Heat oil in a deep saucepan or kadai until hot. Drop ½ cup full of peanuts in the hot oil; you will see a lot of bubbles; reduce heat to medium high. As soon as the bubbles start to subside, indicating the peanuts are fried, remove and drain in a colander or over absorbent paper towels. Once again, increase heat to high, drop another ½ cup full and continue frying the same way. As soon as the peanuts are out of the pan and are drained of excess oil, sprinkle salt, Cayenne and Hinds medium Curry over them while still hot, toss well and keep aside to cool. You can either spice up the fried peanuts batch wise or altogether in the end; but make sure the peanuts are still warm or hot when you add the salt and spices. After the last batch of peanuts is fried, drop curry leaves into the hot oil. As soon as you drop them, the oil will splutter, so immediately, place a cover over the hot oil so as not to splatter hot oil all over to avoid any mishaps. Curry leaves get fried and crisp fast, so remove them after no more than 45 seconds and drain well. Mix with the fried and spiced peanuts, toss and serve when cool. Notes • You can use any of your favorite spices to flavor the peanuts. • Store in airtight containers • If you do not like deep frying peanuts, you can roast the peanuts in a large saucepan instead until crispy and well roasted and then spice up with your favorite spices!
