Samosa

About Ritu

“I have a lot of things to pen down here about me and my country. I was born and brought up in the middle state of India (Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh).”

I made friends from all parts of India during my engineering degree and got a job through the campus selection. While working as Application Support Engineer in Gurgon (Haryana), I got to know the diversity of India. I also won a prize at the national level for a paper I presented. I used to play table tennis and carrom, and I won many prizes during my time at school and college. In particular, I received a silver trophy in carrom at my job. I used to go for morning walks in my childhood and now I love swimming and yoga. I do yoga daily. My papa taught me the exercises, such as sheershaaasan, a headstand.

I got married to a true gentleman and we like to spend time listening to light music. I have an eight-year-old son called Kiyaan. I feel blessed to be surrounded by a lovely family and diverse friends.

I moved to Belfast with my husband and son in late 2019 and felt lucky to get involved with ImageNation NI. Through it, I got to know people, not only from India but from all over the world. I really love to share my food and thoughts with people. I look for every single opportunity to get involved in activities with lots of people. I joined Sustrans activities to increase my confidence in cycling and love the rides.

After losing my father due to the coronavirus recently, I have a loving maa, my sister and her cute son Atharv, and younger brothers. I was the favorite and pampered child of my father. He loved me a lot. Love you and miss you so much, Papa. I know Papa will never come back, but his blessings and encouragement will always be with me. He has given me the strength and always said: 'Do the new things and roam around the world. You’ll get the knowledge and you'll learn a lot.’ I always keep these golden words in my mind.

>> Cooking playlist

My husband and I love to listen to music while cooking.

‘Yeh Raaten Yeh Mausam‘ by Sanam featuring Simran Sehgal ‘Tujh Mein Rab Dikhta Hai‘ by Roop Kumar Rathod ‘Tere Liye’ by Lata Mangeshkar, Roop Kumar Rathod ‘Main Yahaan Hoon’ by Udit Narayan ‘Tumhi Ho Bandhu’ by Saif Ai Khan, Deepika Padukone & Diana Penty (from the movie Cocktail) ‘Mere Rashke Qamar Tu Ne Pehli Nazar’ by Junaid Asghar ‘Dil To Bachcha Hai’ Ji by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan (from the movie Ishqiya) ‘Kabira’ by Ranbir kapoor, Deepika Padukone (from the movie Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani) ‘Bulleya’ by Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Ranbir Kapoor & Anushka Sharma (from the movie Ae Dil Hai Mushkil)

Crisp sandwich

NORTHERN IRELAND | LYNSEY GILLESPIE

‘Crisp Sandwich‘ or more specifically, ‘Jean Gillespie’s Crisp Sandwich’. Crisp sandwiches are a Northern Irish favourite, but my mum has very specific rules about them. She always made me one as a child if I’d been sick and not eating or just feeling a bit down! Also, I can’t cook to save my life!

Cooking Time: 5 minutes of prep time Serves: Just yourself!

Ingredients

• soft white bread, always fresh—this is important

• crisps (always Tayto Cheese and Onion, and always the Northern Tayto for me, no offence to the Southern ones!)

• butter (Flora Light in the Gillespie house, but other brands are available)

Method

1.

2. 3.

4.

5. Get your two slices of soft white FRESH bread (the freshness is vital, or you’ll ruin it and nobody wants that). Butter BOTH sides of the bread. Open the crisps and load them on to one slice of bread (as high as you like, the higher the better!). Take the second slice of bread and squash it down over the crisps (hear that crackle). Stick it on a plate and enjoy!

About Lynsey

“Born and bred right here in Comber, a small town on the Ards Peninsula/North Down/just outside Belfast, where I still live.”

If you’ve any cooking skills yourself, look up something good to do with Comber New Potatoes for me other than just boiling them. They have European protected status, and we are rightly proud of them!

I’ve been working for PRONI, and in heritage, for the guts of ten years. I believe the key to understanding who and where we are is learning our own stories and sharing them as much as possible. This book, with so many people coming here and making NI their home, fills my heart with pride. For all our complicated history, and all our faults, I believe we really are a beautiful place full of incredible people.

>> Cooking playlist

‘Guiding Ligh’t by Foy Vance—he hails from just up the road from me and this song settles the soul ‘Signal Fire’ by Snow Patrol—I can’t be from North Down and not pick a song by them, and this is my favourite ‘Shining Light’ by Ash—these guys were the first big band I remember being aware of from Northern Ireland. ‘I Can’t Give You Anything but Love’ by Ottilie Patterson & Chris Barber—Ottilie was an incredible jazz and blues singer that came from my own hometown. Her personal papers are held in PRONI and I’m ashamed to say she’s only been a recent discovery, but she’s great! ‘Game of Love’ by Santana—forgive me, he’s not Irish, but this song in the kitchen is the best!

Home Treasures

Barbara (1) - Special things I wouldn’t like to lose wherever I settle are letters my friends and family have been sending me from Poland over the years. I also treasure a hand-painted silk scarf my friend made for me (my husband had a matching tie done). I wore it for my wedding in Northern Ireland and later at a blessing in Poland. It has Arabic art motives as my husband is from the Middle East and a verse from Hosea.

Deepika (3) - My mom gifted me a lord Krishna idol on my marriage. I always take him with me. I have been worshiping him from my childhood and it makes me feel so much confidence and positivity. Jacqueline (2) - A few weeks ago, I took this photo of jewellery I have been given by friends or collected when away. There are necklaces from Guatemala, Cuba, Burundi, Tunisia, Eritrea, Thailand, Afghanistan, Mexico, Romania, Kosovo, France, Spain, and Greece.

Kathy (4) - My home treasure is a set of candlesticks that has been passed down the generations of my family — I remember seeing these when I was a child in my maternal grandmother’s house. Traditionally, these go to the eldest girl. The candles are lit on Friday evenings to herald the Sabbath (the Shabbat) which starts at sundown. The lighting of the candles is a woman’s role, unlike many roles in traditional Judaism which are fulfilled by men. In a Jewish home, the woman is sacrosanct. My picture also shows challah, which is the special plaited bread we eat to celebrate the Shabbat.