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bookmark_borderIndian-inspired rice
I've always liked flavorful and aromatic rices, and Indian-style rice was an early recipe candidate for me once I began to focus more on cooking. Here is my current recipe, put together by combining and tweaking elements of multiple other Indian rice recipes I've made, and with the end result having actually been approved by at least one Indian acquaintance. As always, authenticity matters less to me than whether I like the final result.
Note that this recipe makes use of some ingredients that give the end result a more characteristically "Indian" or "ethnic" taste that will likely be at odds with what many people (based on experiences at local Indian restaurants) are expecting. If this an issue, omit the ingredients in blue.
Ingredients:- 1 1/2 cups basmati rice
- 2 1/4 cups water, divided into 1/2 cup and 1 3/4 cup portions
- 1/2 g Spanish saffron
- 1/2 tsp methi seed (fenugreek seed, available in Indian markets)
- 1 to 1.5 T oil (I use olive)
- 1 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 4 green cardamom pods, cracked
- 8 whole cloves
- 1/2 tsp cumin seed
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1/4 tsp hing (available in Indian markets)
- 1 T freshly grated ginger
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder

bookmark_borderInteresting bathrooms
Deep Ellum bathroom
Adair's Saloon was never a venue I frequented during my concert photography days, but I did end up on the inside once or twice. The scrawled graffiti covering the bathroom walls presented a masterclass in how to create a gritty, dirty scene just ripe for some urban decay photography.

bookmark_borderVintage scenes from life
1920s dry goods store
I found this one a bit intriguing despite not really having a place for it in any future projects. Perhaps this is because I've always had a bit of a fancy for small neighborhood markets laid out in a late 19th/early 20th century style. It's what attracts me to Rudolph's Market & Sausage Factory in Deep Ellum, a fixture in the neighborhood since 1895, despite my being meat-free since 1999. There's no indication in the photo of this store's location.
Bathing beauties
Bathing suits have changed a lot in the last century. I'm guessing this photo dates to the 1920s or 30s.