Raksha Bandhan

Ruchika, my roommate, cooked dinner for her "brothers" in honor of Raksha Bandhan. On this day, Ruchika ties rakhi (bracelets) on the wrists of her good guy friends who have been like brothers to her over the years here in Singapore. It's an old Indian tradition started back when men used to go off to fight battles and their women would tie rakhi for protection. She invited her bros over for a delicious veg dinner with cauliflower, dal, chapati, and paneer with peppers. For dessert, she made halwa (a pudding made of clarified butter, wheat flour and sugar which is damn good for a seemingly simple mix of ingredients) and a light ice cream made with almonds, cool whip and milk. She also bought soan papdi (my new favorite sweet) which is a layered, flaky Indian sweet that she is supposed to feed to her brothers as she ties the rakhi. Yea, I'm so spoiled...!