For the love of science

This month's dinners are in memory of my sister. As most of you know, Anu passed away a few October's ago on her way back from the annual Neuroscience meetings.

My post is a bit late this week - was going through the 65 applications for a travel award set up in her name. Late stage PhDs and Post Docs are eligible for the award. Most of these truly brilliant scientists spend 16+ hours in their labs working on basic science that change our lives - but for very little money at this stage of their careers. The average salary for a post doc is about $30,000, which means many make far less. PhD students get small stipends that they live on because you can't get another job when you are working 16+ hours in a lab already :-). They do it for the love of science.

In the (latest?) Newsweek Robert Reich (former labor secretary for the US) says that the lack of money put into higher ed and basic science has slowed down the process of discovery. So, any $$ generated from Thali will go towards a second travel scholarship for one of the 64 applicants left on our list, so that im our small way, we can make a difference. You can write out your checks to the candidate Neuron (where Anu was a senior editor) helps us select. Its not tax deductable (unless you can think of an easy way to make it so). Think of it as your contribution to findings a cure for Autism, Muscular Dystrophy, memory loss and Alzheimer’s - among a host of neuroscience research applications that impact us all.

Not only was Anu a brilliant scientist, she was the best chef in the family. She could recreate most dishes she tried in her travels. I have inherited a bookshelf full of cookbooks from all over the world. And will try out some of her favorite dishes this month.

Menu for SUNDAY dinner (I am working today and tomorrow so have moved it to Sunday this week)

Indian salad - bhel puri (a meal in itself)
Sauted Thai long beans
Chicken curry
Eggplant in yoghurt sauce
Naan
Brown Basamati rice (just got it - supposed to be tasty and low on the glycemic index)
Kulfi - homemade Indian icecream

Let me know if you are interested in this thali for four, for Sunday Oct 5.

On a lighter note - Anu was a SNL fan and would have appreciated these skits. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQ5QbP-SrpQ

And to end on a food note. Anu switched to brown rice when she discovered she was diabetic. Its much healthier than the fluffy white stuff I love. Cooking brown rice is a challenge because it can taste raw and chewy. Anu recommended soaking it in water in the am before going to work, and then cooking it in a pressure cooker. I do the former with brwn/red rice (soaking it for a few hours) but then cook it in a regular rice cooker.