Friday, July 26, 2013

Allergy free red lentil burgers recipe


Ingredients
  • 375g red lentils, soaked for 45 minutes and drained
  • 3 cups water
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 1 carrot, finely grated
  • 1 zucchini, finely grated
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tomato, finely chopped 
  • 6 large tbsps Orgran all purpose flour or rice flour
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 tsp Orgran No Egg
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard, curry powder or ground cumin, to taste
  • Rice or corn crumbs, to coat
  • Olive oil, for cooking

Method
  • Put the soaked lentils in a saucepan with 3 cups water and bring to the boil. 
  • Reduce the heat and simmer for 10-12 minutes until soft then drain them well.
  • Put the lentils and onion in a food processer and blend until roughly chopped.
  • Add all the ingredients except the rice crumbs to a large bowl, mixing until evenly combined.
  • If you like lentil burgers with a smooth texture, process all the ingredients except the crumbs and oil until smooth.
  • Cover a plate with rice or corn crumbs.
  • Form the lentil mixture into patties and coat each with rice or corn crumbs.
  • Pan fry in olive oil for 2-3 minutes each side over a medium-high heat or cook on the barbeque.
  • If you don’t use all the lentil mixture in one go, you can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, using some at a time.

Monday, July 22, 2013

Allergy free hearty chicken soup recipe


Ingredients
Soup stock base
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2cm fresh ginger, peeled, finely grated
  • Tips of 5 sprigs fresh rosemary, finely chopped
  • 1 celery stick, chopped
  • 8 cups cold water
  • ¾ tsp chilli powder, to taste (optional)
  • 1 double chicken breast, trimmed
Extras
  • 2 potatoes, cubed
  • 1 carrot, chopped
  • 1 corn, kernels removed
  • 1 leek, halved and sliced
  • 1-2 cups water (optional)
  • 2 tsps allergy free soy sauce replacer
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Method
  • Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium-low heat.
  • Cook the onion, garlic, ginger and rosemary until the onion is soft.
  • Add the celery, water and chilli powder, stirring to combine.
  • Then carefully drop in the chicken.
  • Bring the mixture to the boil.
  • Then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer the mixture for 1 hour.
  • Allow the mixture to cool and remove and discard any unwanted fat from surface.
  • Remove the chicken, shred and return it to the pot.
  • Bring the stock to the boil over a high heat.
  • Reduce the heat to medium.
  • Stir in the potato, corn, carrot and leek.
  • If there isn’t enough stock to cook the vegetables, add 1-2 cups water.
  • Simmer for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
  • Stir in the soy sauce replacer.
  • Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Sunday, July 21, 2013

Rosy's scrawled manga recommendation: One Piece by Oda Eiichiro

One Piece
Oda Eiichiro

Blurb
Gold Roger was known as the Pirate King, the strongest and most infamous being to have sailed the Grand Line. The capture and death of Roger by the World Government brought a change throughout the world. His last words before his death revealed the location of the greatest treasure in the world, One Piece. It was this revelation that brought about the Grand Age of Pirates, men who dreamed of finding One Piece (which promises an unlimited amount of riches and fame), and quite possibly the most coveted of titles for the person who found it, the title of the Pirate King.
Enter Monkey D. Luffy, a 17-year-old boy who defies the standard definition of a pirate. Rather than the popular persona of a wicked, hardened, toothless pirate who ransacks villages for fun, Luffy’s reason for being a pirate is one of pure wonder; the thought of an exciting adventure and meeting new and intriguing people, along with finding One Piece. Following in the footsteps of his childhood hero, Luffy and his crew travel across the Grand Line, experiencing crazy adventures, unveiling dark mysteries and battling strong enemies, all in order to reach One Piece.

Alternative names
ワンピース
海贼王
원피스
One Piece
Đảo hải tặc
Één stuk
All'Arrembaggio
Jeden Kawałek
O piesă
Ντρέικ
ون بيس ، قطعة واحدة 
Bir Parça
Isang piraso
Budak Getah
วัน พีซ

Status
Ongoing

Manga reader sites (free)
Manga Fox

Rosy's scrawlings on One Piece
This is one of the most enjoyable mangas I've ever read. It is pure, light-hearted and full of fun. There's a range of characters fighting a range of personal issues, with enemies becoming friends and friends becoming enemies or at least combatants. All within the quick paced and unpredictable world of pirates and sea monsters. The story is one revolving around a giant treasure hunt but it is the varied desires, struggles and goals of each character that is most important and what adds depth and heart to the story.
The story follows Luffy, with his name in translation occasionally changing, as he goes from being a very young boy desiring of being a pirate to a young man gathering his pirate crew, setting out to the Grand Line and doing battle with various opponents. Of the crew he gathers there's a thief wanting to rescue her village, a swordsman wanting to become the best in the world, a chef who wants to find the utopian bright blue (I think it is called - something blue, anyway) and so on. Everyone wants something different but they all band together with Luffy, one who has eaten a Devil's Fruit that gives him the stretchy powers of rubber because Luffy accepts their goals, helps them unequivocally and brings a blast of life, fun and freedom to their lives. Luffy is the embodiment of a freedom and adventure loving pirate, no more, no less.
The manga is made of short instalments of a giant adventure, reducing the reading drag long volumes can create. The action is quick and the characters strange and varied, although many identify as pirates, islanders or marines. The sea voyages are broken up by island landings, fights between pirates, boat chases, monster attacks and even a wild storm or two. Like many a manga there's more than a few face-offs between enemies but they are far less structured and often reflect the sneaky nature of the more violent and nasty pirates. On top of this, the Devil's Fruit that Luffy ate wasn't the only one. Others with strange powers abound, often being marines or pirates themselves. 
The art of One Piece is mostly made up of light lines and lots of white but darkness and shadows are introduced not through shading but with solid black, creating enormous depth on occasion. There's plenty of texture and an emphasis on the odd and comical. Expressions and physical features are often far from realistic and only add to the unique nature of the art. Overall, the art is as enjoyable as the story, both being light and bright as well as coloured with heavier issues.

I'd recommend this manga to: everyone male and female, young and old.

Notes on manga reader sites
The quality of manga readers can vary. The uploads are often done cheaply or as a serious hobby by a collective. Be aware that sometimes licence hasn't been given but the sites noted above, Manga Fox in particular, are extremely careful about adding and pulling mangas according to license agreements. So you shouldn't have to worry too much about the material being pirated. There are also translated works and non-translated. Amongst the translated works you will find that the quality of translation may vary according to the skills of the translators. Usually the works are perfectly readable anyway, with only a few added or dropped words or a word in the incorrect tense or with/out plurals. But sometimes the text becomes gobbledygook. In which case, either seek another version or give up and buy an official copy once a printed translation comes out. The other issue of note is you may need to expand the screen to read the text easily as sometimes the scans are minimised a little.
I find that if a page doesn't download properly or some other issue occurs (too slow or someone ordered the pages incorrectly etc.) with one reader then skipping across to another reader and picking up where I was is quite easy and rarely annoying.
Otherwise, enjoy and watch out you don't get too addicted you forget about the necessary things in life.

Friday, July 19, 2013

Allergy free chicken with garlic stir-fry recipe


Ingredients
  • 2 large garlic cloves, minced
  • 
¼ cup allergy free soy sauce replacer
  • ¼ cup water plus a dash more
  • 
¼ cup honey
  • 
2 tbsps olive oil, divided

  • 1 tbsp corn flour
  • 
¼ tsp pepper, to taste

  • ¼ tsp chilli flakes, to taste

  • 1 double chicken breast, sliced

  • ½ cup broccoli florets
  • ½ red capsicum, sliced
  • 1 carrot, finely sliced
  • 1-2 shallots, finely sliced, garnish



Method
  • Combine the garlic, soy sauce replacer, water, honey, ½ the oil, corn flour, pepper and chilli in a large bowl.
  • Stir the sliced chicken into the marinade and mix to coat.
  • Cover the chicken and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
  • 
In a wok, heat the remaining oil over a medium-high heat.
  • 
Add the chicken and stir-fry until just cooked through.
  • Using a slotted spoon, remove the chicken from the wok to a plate.
  • Add the broccoli and a dash of water to the wok and stir fry until bright green.
  • Add the capsicum and carrot to the wok and stir fry for 2 minutes more.
  • Add the reserved marinade and continue to cook, stirring, for about 30 seconds until the marinade has thickened.
  • Quickly return the chicken to the wok and stir through.
  • Serve immediately with a garnish of shallots.

Thursday, July 18, 2013

10 differences between serial killer fiction and reality

The best of the best fictional serial killers are written and sometimes acted well enough to escape some, but rarely all, of the below problems. Fiction just can't reflect the true horror of reality in the case of serial killers, no matter how much they make you, the audience member, squirm.


1. In fiction, there isn't enough shock in the discovery of hidden horrors.

2. In fiction, the serial killer is glorified.

3. The extended efforts everyone makes to try to understand why is, for the most part, absent from fiction.

4. In fiction, the slow development of the killer and his crimes is cast aside for sudden gory awakenings.



5. The mix of victim and killer often present in the serial killer's personality and experience is underplayed or non-existent in fiction.

6. The serial killer's often overpowering, disturbing personality and misfit nature is ignored in fiction for the killer's ability to blend in and appear normal.


7. The serial killer's dysfunctional psychology is underplayed in fiction for a functional pattern of behaviour that leads to a repetition of kills.



8. The unplanned and rather opportunistic nature of many of the real serial killer's kills is lost for a pattern and a comprehensible reason to kill.

9. The lasting filth and bodily remains surrounding a serial killer is often left out of the fiction for a focus on initial gore and a clean disposal that justifies why everyone around them didn't notice.

10. The physical appearance of the real serial killer is often far less attractive, though frequently normal enough, than those of fictional killers.

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Allergy free Japanese ginger chicken recipe


Ingredients
  • 1 double chicken breast or 1kg chicken thighs, deboned
  • 2 tbsps allergy free soy sauce replacer
  • 2 tbsps sake or dry sherry
  • 2 tbsps honey
  • 2cm fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsps water
  • 1-2 shallots, sliced
  • Sesame seeds (optional)

Method
  • Cut the chicken up into bite-sized pieces.
  • In a large bowl, whisk the soy sauce replacer, sake, honey and ginger together.
  • Add the chicken and marinate for at least 30 minutes.
  • Heat a wok over a medium heat until hot.
  • Add the oil then swirl to coat.
  • Fry the chicken in batches of only one layer until the chicken chunks form nice brown crusts.
  • When the chicken has browned on one side, flip it over and brown the other side. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
  • Once all the chicken is browned, wipe up any extra oil in the wok with a paper towel.
  • Add the remaining marinade to the wok along with the water.
  • Bring the mixture to a boil over a medium-high heat.
  • Return all the chicken to the pan.
  • Stir, until the liquid has mostly evaporated and the chicken has a shiny coating of sauce.
  • Serve with rice and garnish with shallots and sesame seeds.

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Allergy free basic chicken bolognaise recipe


Ingredients
  • 2 tbsps olive oil
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 1-2 sticks celery, finely chopped or diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 500g chicken mince
  • 3 tomatoes, chopped and pureed
  • 4 tbsps tomato paste.
  • 2 tbsps white wine
  • Dried basil, oregano and/or marjoram, small pinches recommended, to taste
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Method
  • In a saucepan over a medium-high heat, cook the onion, celery and garlic in the olive oil until the onion has softened.
  • Add the chicken mince and cook until broken up and cooked through.
  • Stir through the pureed tomato, tomato paste and white wine.
  • Season to taste with herbs and salt and pepper.
  • Simmer on medium for 10 minutes or until reduced and thick.
  • Serve on Orgran spaghetti or noodles with some grated lactose free cheese, if desired.

Monday, July 15, 2013

Allergy free chicken nachos recipe


Ingredients
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 2 tsps ground coriander seeds
  • 1 tsp ground cumin seeds
  • 2 tsps smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp chilli powder (optional)
  • 500g chicken mince
  • 400g diced tomatoes
  • 420g refried beans
  • 1 red capsicum, finely chopped (optional)
  • ½ cup chicken stock made from a Massel vegetarian chicken ultracube
  • 200g corn chips
Suggested toppings
  • Grated lactose free cheese (optional)
  • 1-2 avocados
  • ½-1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • ½ cup tomato salsa

Method
  • Preheat the oven to 200°C.
  • Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat.
  • Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until the onion is soft.
  • Add the coriander, cumin, paprika and chilli and cook, stirring, until aromatic.
  • Increase the heat to high and add the mince.
  • Cook, stirring, to break up the mince, until the mince is cooked through.
  • Add the tomatoes, refried beans, capsicum and stock.
  • Simmer, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes or until the mixture thickens.
  • Arrange corn chips and nachos mince on ovenproof plates.
  • Sprinkle over some cheese, as much as desired, and bake until the cheese melts.
  • If not including cheese, bake for up to 10 minutes so the chips are hot and crisp.
  • Meanwhile, use a fork to mash the avocados and lemon juice together.
  • Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  • Top the nachos with avocado and tomato salsa.

Best quotes from The Doctor for tattooing


“As we learn about each other, so we learn about ourselves.”

“Dreams are important... never underestimate them.”

“I always like to do the unexpected, it takes people by surprise.”

“You can tell them I came and went like a summer cloud.”

“I think you'll find that I'm qualified to deal with practically everything, if I choose.”

“Small though it is, the human brain can be quite effective when used properly.”

“Rest is for the weary, sleep is for the dead.”

“I was trying to help. Surely even a blockhead like you can see that!”

“Don't worry. I always leave things until the last moment.”

“To the rational mind, nothing is inexplicable; only unexplained.”

“This is a situation that requires tact and finesse. Fortunately, I am blessed with both.”


“Unless we are prepared to sacrifice our lives for the good of all, then evil and anarchy will spread like the plague.”

“Planets come and go. Stars perish. Matter disperses, coalesces, forms into other patterns, other worlds. Nothing can be eternal.”

“Crush the lesser races. Conquer the galaxy. Incredible power, unlimited rice pudding, et cetera, et cetera.”

“Anybody remotely interesting is mad, in some way or another.”

“I had to face my fear. That was more important than just going on living.”

“Just be your natural horrid self.”

“Like Alice, I try to believe three impossible things before breakfast.”

“Maybe I am getting too young for this sort of thing.”

“One good, solid hope's worth a cartload of certainty.”

“There's no point in being grown up if you can't be childish sometimes.”

“We're all basically primeval slime with ideas above its station.”

“Shh. I'm wondering.”

“Now drop your weapons or I'll kill him with this deadly jelly baby.”

“Would you like a jelly baby?”

“I don't take orders from anyone.”

“Never be certain of anything. It's a sign of weakness.”

“Time and tide melts the snowman.”

“The best way to find out where you are from is find out where you are going and work backwards.”


“A straight line may be the shortest distance between two points, but it is by no means the most interesting.”

“First things first, but not necessarily in that order.”

“What's wrong with being childish? I like being childish.”

“Oh, don't listen to me... I never do.”

“All of time and space; everywhere and anywhere; every star that ever was. Where do you want to start?”

“Everything has its time and everything dies.”

“Do what I do. Hold tight and pretend it's a plan!”

“Every lonely monster needs a companion.”

Sunday, July 14, 2013

Allergy free Malaysian spicy honey chicken recipe


Ingredients
  • 2-3 potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 1 double chicken breast, cut into large chunks

  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1-2 tsps curry powder 
  • ¾ tsp salt

  • 5 tsps water

  • Up to 1 cup live oil for frying
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 
2½ cms fresh ginger, finely grated

  • ½ tsp curry powder

  • 1 tsp chilli paste
  • 
3 tbsps tomato sauce or paste

  • 1¼ tbsps honey
  • 
4-5 tbsps water

  • 3 tbsps lime juice (optional)

  • 1 large onion, sliced into rings

Method
  • Pre-cook the potatoes until almost tender then drain and reserve them, keeping them hot.
  • Combine the turmeric, curry powder and salt with the water to mix into thick slurry.
  • Evenly coat the chicken pieces with the spice. 
  • Over a medium to high heat, fry the chicken pieces in a wok until cooked through and golden brown.
  • Remove the chicken and allow it to rest on a plate.
  • Discard all but 2-3 tablespoons of oil from the wok or pan.
  • Sauté the garlic and ginger in the remaining oil until fragrant.
  • Stir through the tomato sauce, chilli paste, curry powder and honey.
  • Add the water to loosen up the mixture.
  • Season to taste with salt.
  • Return the chicken and stir so that the chicken is well coated with the sauce.
  • Add the onion rings and reserved potatoes.
  • Let the sauce simmer for about 5-10 minutes or until the onion rings soften and the chicken pieces have absorbed some of the sauce.
  • Stir through the lime juice.

Saturday, July 13, 2013

Allergy free creamy Indian chicken tikka masala recipe


Ingredients
  • 4 chicken breasts, cubed
  • 3cm piece fresh root ginger, peeled and chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 3 tbsps lime juice
  • 1-2 tsp chilli powder
  • 1 tbsp ground coriander seeds
  • 1 tsp fenugreek seeds
  • 1 tbsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 250ml lactose free cream
  • 2 cups tomatoes, finely chopped
  • 2-3 potatoes, chopped
  • 2 tbsps lemon juice

Method
  • Put the chicken, ginger, garlic, chilli powder, coriander, lime juice, ground coriander seeds, ground fenugreek seeds, garam masala, smoked paprika, salt, tomato paste and olive oil in a large bowl.
  • Stir until the chicken is covered with marinade and set aside.
  • Heat a large shallow pan or wok over a medium-high heat.
  • Pour in the chicken and marinade.
  • Fry for about 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.
  • Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a separate pan over a medium-high heat.
  • Fry the onion for 3-4 minutes until just soft.
  • Add the turmeric and stir-fry for 1 minute.
  • Turn the heat to low, pour in the cream and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
  • Add the onion mixture to the chicken mixture and stir to combine.
  • Stir through the tomatoes and potatoes.
  • Reduce the heat to low.
  • Simmer, covered, for 10-15 minutes or until the potato is tender.
  • Season to taste and stir in the lemon juice.

Friday, July 12, 2013

Allergy free chicken sausage stew recipe


Ingredients
  • 6 chicken sausages, herbed or plain
  • 2 tbsps olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 sticks celery, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 2-3 heaped tbsps Orgran all purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp white wine (optional)
  • 5 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves picked
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 750ml chicken stock made from 2 Massel vegetarian chicken ultracubes
  • 400g chopped tomatoes
  • 1 carrot, chopped
  • 2 potatoes, chopped
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Method
  • Pour the olive oil into a large saucepan and heat over a medium-high heat.
  • Add the sausages and cook them until they are brown on all sides.
  • Remove the sausages and carefully cut them into bite-sized chunks.
  • Add the onion and celery to the remaining oil and cook on a medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened.
  • Stir in the garlic and fry for another minute or two.
  • Stir in the flour, white wine, thyme and oregano.
  • After a couple of minutes return the sausages to the saucepan and stir through.
  • Add the chicken stock and tomatoes.
  • Add the carrot and potatoes and stir to cover them with tomato.
  • Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  • Bring to the boil then reduce the heat to medium-low.
  • Simmer the stew for 15 minutes, stirring to prevent burning, or until thick gravy forms and the potatoes are cooked through.

Allergy free chorizo chicken mince recipe


Ingredients
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 onion, diced fine
  • 100ml cider vinegar or white wine
  • 3 tsps smoked paprika
  • 2 tsps paprika
  • Up to 3-4 tsps chilli flakes, to taste
  • 1 Massel vegetarian chicken stock ultracube
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 80ml water
  • 2 tbsps olive oil
  • 500kg chicken mince

Method
  • In a blender, combine the garlic, onion, cider vinegar, paprika, chilli, chicken stock, salt and water.
  • Blend until smooth.
  • Heat the oil in a wok over a medium-high heat.
  • Cook the chicken mince and blended mixture together in the wok until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has reduced.
  • Refrigerate or freeze for future use.
  • Serve on pasta, rice, potatoes or sprinkle on pizza.

Thursday, July 11, 2013

Allergy free spicy Moroccan chicken mince recipe



Ingredients
  • 2 tsps olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 500g chicken mince
  • 2 tbsps Moroccan spice mix
  • 2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
  • ¼ cup currants
  • 2 tbsps lemon juice
  • ¼ cup chicken stock from a Massel chicken salt-reduced ultracube or powder
  • 2 tbsps fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (optional)

Method
  • Heat oil in a wok over a medium heat.
  • Add the onion and garlic.
  • Cook for 3-4 minutes or until the onion has softened.
  • Increase the heat to medium-high.
  • Add the chicken mince and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up mince.
  • Cook until it is completely cooked through.
  • Add the Moroccan spice mix and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until fragrant.
  • Add the tomato, currants, lemon juice and chicken stock.
  • Bring the mixture to the boil then reduce heat to medium-low.
  • Simmer for 10 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.
  • Stir through the parsley.
  • Serve with allergy free bread.

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Rosy's scrawled manga recommendation: Kamisama Dolls by Hajime Yamamura

Kamisama Dolls
Hajime Yamamura

Blurb
Kyouhei, after moving away to Tokyo from his old town to get away from the events that happened, is on a goukon with his friends, including his old neighbor, Shiba. After drinking for a whole night, he and Shiba discover a dead, bloody, body in the elevator. He is told by his younger sister, Utao with her Kamisama Doll, that Aki, an old friend, and his Doll, are the culprits responsible.

Alternative names
Kami-sama Dolls
God Dolls
神样DOLLS
神様ドォルズ
Dolls of God
God's Dolls

Status
Ongoing

Manga reader sites
Manga Reader, Manga Fox

Rosy's scrawlings on Kamisama Dolls
Kamisama Dolls is a slower moving manga than most that focus on action and mystery. There's a thoughtfulness about the story telling that adds depth to both the characters and the unusual situations. The story begins by focusing on Kyouhei for the most part, but it expands as the action progresses to incorporate his family, friends and even his enemies. Kyouhei is on the run from his past, attempting to carve out a new life for himself in the city. There's a girl he's interested in but hasn't had much luck with and a generally normal student life to follow. But all this is destroyed when a murder is committed, the body left in the lift Kyouhei had to take in order to leave a party he'd passed out at. From there, Kyouhei's past comes back to haunt him in the guise of Aki, an old and violently unstable friend. Aki has escaped from the village where both boy's had grown up and he's seeking something from Kyouhei, be it revenge or a connection. Neither Aki nor Kyouhei know just what Aki wants but either way, Aki is being hunted by several villagers and their god-like weapons they call dolls.
This manga is one that neatly ties together psychology and action by focusing less on the technology and insane fights and more on the reasons for said fights and the twisted histories of the characters involved. Motivations are slowly revealed and the past delved into when necessary, and not before. There's a ponderous feel to the story, even as the fights escalate and this is partly because of the psychology and character history that's explored and partly because of the steady pacing. The dolls themselves invade the murder and mayhem of the rest of the story in a psychedelic manner, an addition that's both pleasing and strange in proper manga fashion. The dolls are made using an old technology that includes some mysterious elements. Elements that create a psychic connection between a person and the machine. Of course, such power has come to be misused and this in itself has caused many to want to either fight or destroy the entire village that is the dolls' origins.
The art of Kamisama Dolls is smooth and there's a spaciousness to many of the panels that increases the reserved or ponderous feel of the story. The focus is on expressions, mainly as each character encounters strife or a challenge. The action occurs in short stretches but it is smooth and doesn't dramatically alter the pace of the story. For the most part the art is grey and slightly scratching, with harsher lines and shades used to characterise and build mood. Only the dolls have a smooth gloss but this fits in with them being seen as god-like for generations. In all, the art perfectly reflects the same divisions and story elements as the dialogue.

I'd recommend this manga to: those interested in strange technologies, psychic abilities, murder mysteries, explorations of past trauma, conspiracies and the odd additions to story telling that come along with most mangas.

Notes on manga reader sites
The quality of manga readers can vary. The uploads are often done cheaply or as a serious hobby by a collective. Be aware that sometimes licence hasn't been given but the sites noted above, Manga Fox in particular, are extremely careful about adding and pulling mangas according to license agreements. So you shouldn't have to worry too much about the material being pirated. There are also translated works and non-translated. Amongst the translated works you will find that the quality of translation may vary according to the skills of the translators. Usually the works are perfectly readable anyway, with only a few added or dropped words or a word in the incorrect tense or with/out plurals. But sometimes the text becomes gobbledygook. In which case, either seek another version or give up and buy an official copy once a printed translation comes out. The other issue of note is you may need to expand the screen to read the text easily as sometimes the scans are minimised a little.
I find that if a page doesn't download properly or some other issue occurs (too slow or someone ordered the pages incorrectly etc.) with one reader then skipping across to another reader and picking up where I was is quite easy and rarely annoying.
Otherwise, enjoy and watch out you don't get too addicted you forget about the necessary things in life.

Monday, July 8, 2013

Allergy free Japanese chicken and celery stir fry recipe


Ingredients
  • 1 double chicken breast fillet, sliced
  • 1 tsp rice wine or pale dry sherry
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp bicarb soda
  • 2 tbsps cornflour
  • Up to 1 cup olive oil, for frying
  • 1 clove garlic, chopped fine
  • 1 cm fresh ginger, grated fine
  • Pinch of salt
  • 200g celery, sliced
  • 1 carrot, sliced (optional)
  • 110g unsalted roasted cashew nuts (optional)
  • 2 tbsps rice wine or pale dry sherry
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp instant dashi (seaweed stock) or a Massel vegetable stock ultracube
  • ¼ tsp chilli paste

Method
  • In a bowl, sprinkle the rice wine and salt over the sliced chicken.
  • In a small bowl, mix the bicarb soda and cornflour together.
  • Massage the cornflour mixture it into the chicken.
  • Over a medium to high heat, add enough olive oil to a wok to fry the chicken.
  • When the oil is hot, quickly fry the chicken in batches until crispy and golden.
  • Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon and drain it on paper towels.
  • Remove all but 2 tbsps of oil from the wok, strain and store.
  • Add the chopped garlic and ginger and a pinch of salt to the wok.
  • When the garlic becomes fragrant, add the celery, carrot and cashews and fry for 2-3 minutes.
  • Return the chicken to the wok andOnce mixed, serve on steamed rice.