Do we miss spicy food? Yes and no. Eating out, the food is relatively mild for our taste bud. For example, we had lunch at the Indian Pavilion yesterday. The tandori chicken, naan, basmati rice and "curry" were tasty but not spicy enough. At US$ 7 per pax, the lunch buffet is value for money though!
Rating: *** (good, can go back)
Fresh chillies can be bought at the farmers' market and supermarkets. There are more varieties here: Thai (chili padi), American (pepper) and Mexican (jalapeno).
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Photos: Two types of chili plant with their bountiful fruits in a garden patch beside the house we visited at Chesapeake Bay recently.
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The miracle of a seed: All the plants we have encountered so far (blueberry, corn, apple, and even the majestic maple tree) start with a seed. Without seeds, there will be no life!
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"Hidden inside a single seed lies the capacity to grow a new plant, and to pass on the traits of the parent from which the seed came. The new plant can mature and reproduce, creating a field or a forest of plants, all the result of that tiny seed."
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Some time ago, I disposed some fresh chili seeds into a flower pot. Look what we found recently (photo below). The seeds have germinated and we now have around 20 tiny weeny chili plants. .
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"When a seed is planted, a truly amazing miracle happens. The seed absorbs warmth and moisture from the soil and the interior begins to swell, eventually bursting the protective outer seed coat. Then, with more magic, a tiny root forms and heads downward deeper into the soil, seeking nutrients. At the same time, responding to light, the plant emerges upward, pushing bits of soil away as the sprouting seed takes on the immature form of a plant and pushes itself into sunlight." - Jim Long (2006)
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Note: The tiny plants are chilies, whilst the one with broad leaf is the shoot of a sweet potato. Sadly, I don't think they will reach full maturity and produce fruits. Why?
Several interesting facts about seed.
- Seeds found in Egyptian tombs, sealed up for thousands of years, when planted, still grew.
- Proper light is essential, not only for seeds to germinate, but for plants to thrive.
- Plants are amazingly resilient. Even smashed into the soil by stupid eighth graders, most of my plants recovered and resumed growing. From the grass we mow on a weekly basis to trees damaged by storms, plants have the ability to survive injury.
- Plants require specific nutrients. Too much or too little of the basic requirements and the plants will not reach their full potential. And yet, plants are resilient enough to withstand wide variations in their nutrient supply.
Source: http://www.longcreekherbs.com/2006/08/small-miracle-in-every-seed.html
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