My colleague and I looked at each other. He sees the past in me. I see the future in him. Before I continue, I'm not talking about love issue, I'm talking about life here.

I shared with him that I have lots of ideas to sell but I don't know how to market the products should I make or the idea alone.

He said he used to have that spirit -like me- when he was my age.

I asked what happened.

He said he had no time, or rather I sensed the word 'give up', to work on his ideas. And he added it is better to just get a job and work, and not to worry about how to market a product.

I looked at him and fear for my future. I asked myself what if I ended up like him? I'm trying my best to earn extra at this age and what if I end up like him though I have tried my very best? Do I just give up or just get a job and live a life in dreams until the day I die?

He looked at - not me -his breakfast, which he shared a curry puff with me. And continued eating. I looked at him and fear for my future, very much.

I don't want to end up like him. I have the time but I don't know how to market a product. What should I do next?

a) karate-shop the colleague till his wife can't recognise him.
b) continue to share my ideas but not executing it.
c) long live my meowing dreams.
d) be optimistic - but it's so tiring.
e) get a rich husband that will die the next day.
f) die early.

Comment! (4) | Recommend!

1.5kg chicken portions, 8 pcs
25g lar/butter
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 large onions, finely chopped
1 tbsp (15ml) sweet paprika
1 tbsp (15ml) hot paprika or cayenne peopper
salt and freshly milled black pepper
150ml homemade chicken stock
150ml (1/4 pint) sour cream

1. Saute the onion and garlic in a heavy based skillet in fat for 3-4 minutes over low heat.

2. Add the chicken, salt and paprikas or cayenne, stirring so as to seal the chicken and browning a little.

3. Add the stock and cook for 1/2 hour, or until the chicken is cooked through.

4. Sprinkle the pepper over and turn off the heat.

5. Serve the chicken hot with hot boiled or buttered rice with the sour cream spooned over the top.

Serves 4

Comment! (4) | Recommend!

2 tbsp olive oil
2 medium onions, sliced
2 cups long-grain rice
3 1/2 cups boiling stock/ water
2 whole cloves
4 cardamom pods, bruised
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup currants/ sultanas
salt and freshly ground pepper
4 half chicken breast fillets, trimmed
1/2 cup slivered toasted almonds
fresh coriander leaves

1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a saucepan and gently fry half the onions. Cook over a moderate heat for 5-10 minutes or until soft and light golden. Drain on kitchen paper.

2. Add rice to the remaining onions and saute, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes.

3. Add 1 3/4 cups stock, with spices and salt. Bring to boil, cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes, adding more stock as it is absorbed. Ad currants, cover and allow to plump. Turn off heat and keep covered.

4. Season the chicken. Heat remaining oil in frying pan, add the chicken and brown for 3 minutes on each side. Cook over low heat for 3 minutes, turning chicken over once or twice. Sprinkle with the almonds and golden onions. Slice chicken thickly and arrange on top. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

Serves 4-6.

Comment! (3) | Recommend!

500g baby beetroots withleaves
400g baby carrots
300g baby green beans
8 baby (140g) zucchini with flowers
4 baby (240g) eggplants, sliced
1 tbsp olive oil

Hazelnut dressing
t tbsp raspberry vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp hazelnut oil

If hazelnut oil is unavailable, substitute 2 tbsp olive oil and 1/4 cup finely chopped, toasted hazelnuts. Can be prepared 3 hours ahead.

1. Remove and reserve leaves from beetroot. Add beetroot to medium pan of boiling water, boil, uncovered, about 10 minutes or until tender.

2. Drain beetroot; cool, peel.

3. Boil, steam or microwave carrots and beans, separately until cool. Drain, cool.

4. Slice zucchini in half lengthways, brush zucchini an eggplants with oil.Add zucchini and eggplants, in batches, to heated, oiled griddle pan (or grill or bbq); cook until browned and tender. Combine beetroot, beetroot leaves, carrots, beans, zucchini and eggplants in large bowl; drizzle with Hazelnut Dressing.

Hazelnut Dressing: Combine ingredients in jar; shake well.

Serves 6-8 as an accompaniment.

Not suitable to freeze.

Carrots and beans suitable to microwave.

Comment! (4) | Recommend!

Ingredients A:
50gm Japanese crabstick, shredded
50gm bamboo shoot, shredded
50gm black fungus
50gm carrot, shredded
50gm straw mushroom, shredded
50gm beancurd, shredded

Stock:
500gm superior stock
20gm chicken stock
10gm sugar
200gm vinegar
10gm salt

To thicken:
Mix 1/2 tbsp cornflour with 100g water

1. Was all ingredients A with hot water.

2. Bring stock ingredients to a boil in a medium-sized pot and add all ingredients A.

3. Thicken soup with cornflour mixture.

4. Serve hot.

Comment! (3) | Recommend!

500g packet spiral pasta
2 Lebanese cucumbers
1 red capsicum, chopped
8 spring onions, sliced
1 x 250g punnet cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup black olives
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
200g fetta cheese, crumbled

Dressing
1/2 cup light olive oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon seeded mustard
1 clove garlic, crushed
salt and pepper to taste

1. Add pasta to a large pan of boiling water, boil, uncovered, for about 12 minutes, or until tender; drain. Rinse pasta under cold water; drain well.

2. Dressing. Combine all ingredients in a s screw-top jar; shake well.

3. Cut cucumber in half length-ways; remove seeds. Cut cucumbers into thin slices.

4. Combine cucumbers, pasta, capsicum, spring onions, tomatoes, olives and parsley in a large bowl. Add dressing: mix well. Gently stir in fetta cheese.

Serves 6.

Comment! (0) | Recommend!