I feel like I am turning into a page filler for the National Enquirer:  “Mother Drifts.   Two Weird Bug Bites Involved.”  Over the past few weeks, I have been feeling the intense need to move (with my family) somewhere other–like maybe France or India.  At about the same time, I was bitten by something.  I am almost sure it is a spider.  On the positive side, maybe I’ll end up in France or India with a movie contract to make Spider Woman.  Trying to remain calm and practical, I made an appointment with the doctor and I am going to try cooking instead of packing.
I have no idea where the hammer is, and no idea how to tell a fresh coconut from a dud, so I’m going to have to use canned coconut milk for my curry.   Toast 2 teaspoons of fennel seed, 5 cardomam pods and 1 teaspoon of cumin.  Crush in a mortar and pestle and set aside.  Saute 2 inches of fresh ginger with 2 cloves of garlic, a shallot, a few leaves of fresh cilantro and a small red onion with 1 fresh chili that has been deseeded and sliced, in butter.  Add  1 teaspoon of turmeric.    When the onions are completely softened (about 10 to 15 minutes), add 1 (12 oz.) can of the best coconut milk you can find along with a can of water and simmer for about 10 minutes.  Give it a squeeze of lemon juice, and continue to simmer gently for about 5 minutes.  Add another few leaves of fresh cilantro, and taste for salt and pepper.  Add cubed and peeled potatoes and nearly cooked, on their own, and a half cup of chic peas.  Put the lid on the pan long enough to cook everything through.  Serve with rice, peas with butter and fresh mint and skewered, sauted shrimp.