Vegetable: Pokaras

POINT TO PONDER

A teenager was reported to be taken by spirits while wondering in an abundant villa. Then, a day after, he was said to have accidentally overslept at a friend's house.

I notice that parents nowadays are too understanding until they let their children go wherever and whenever they please. It is no longer like my younger days where parents often controlled the children whereabouts. Some people believe that it is good to give freedom to the children. Only a handful do not share the same view.

A few weeks ago, a teenager was reported to steal two cars. I cannot remember the whole story though. The first car he took was with passengers including a baby. He crashed that car in which the baby is now in coma while the other passengers are injured.

This incident surely proves that too much freedom is not good for children. They just simply do not know their boundaries - what is right and what is wrong. It is the parents vital role to show or guide the children as in how to behave in the society. I know that it is not an easy task as parents too are busy working so as to provide the children with comfortable living. That is why, at times or rather most of the time, we need the community to help us as the community could be the parents' eyes and ears whenever they are not at home. (At the same time, can we really trust the community?)

Children should not be let lose like the cows. It is not necessary for the children to be let lose in the field to graze the grass. If they have to graze the grass, then the parents should monitor or at least set the time when they can go to the field to graze the grass. There should be curfew time in which by ten at night, they should already be in their respective barns. By doing this, parents are teaching time management. Time management is vitally important once the children have grown into adults. Fail to understand the concept, they might not be able to succeed in life.

Personally I believe that it is the parents' responsibility to mould the children to become good citizens. How busy we are, we as parents should make time to have, at least, dinner with them. Family quality time helps with not only one's confident and self-esteem but also understanding of the norm which is culturally accepted and definitely not against the religion .

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup of chick-pea flour
1/4 cup of raising flour
1 teaspoon of garam masala
1/2 teaspoon of chilli powder
a pinch of salt
water (just enough to make a thick batter)
cauliflower (cut it into bite size)
Oil (a lot as you need to deep fry) 

1. Pour in the chick-pea flour, raising flour, garam masala, chilli powder and salt into a bowl.
2. Add in water to make a thick batter. Pour in a little at a time.
3. Put in the cauliflower, Mix in well
4. Deep fry it.

POINT TO PONDER

 It tastes a little bit like seaweed. I like it. My parents seem to enjoy it. I serve it as a side dish to fried noodles.