I'm getting old... so I'd better write before I forget

miei cari, this last week I was in Brussels and then I went to visit our Preeti in Antwerpen. Brussels was really nice so I think I will give it a serious thought (and I think I wil buy a flat there anyway, since it is really cheap). And now I am in Antwerpen, in Preeti and Sameer's flat. Their flat is extremely nice, in a nice part of town, big, new and with a great kitchen (I asked Preeti if I can move there, it is so big that I assume a sleeping bag will fit easily). Since I am a moronic idiot, I came here without anything, but now I know what to bring next time I come - and it's going to be soon. Preeti has treated me with some really nice Indian food. Yesterday we had salmon curry, and tonight an amazingly good chicken biryani. And since I am getting old, I'd better write down what was inside so that I don't forget it. First, you take away all the fat from the chicken breasts, if they have some. Then you put a lot of yoghurt, salt, turmeric (the super yellow thing that apparently will heal your wounds if you get cut), chilli, garam masala and ginger/garlic paste. Put in the fridge for more than 8 hours. The next day you cut a shitload of onions in slices (until you start crying like a small fontana di Trevi), put some oil in a pan and gently fry them. Once they are sort of collapsed, put some salt (not before!!!! Preeti told me) and then you put chilli, turmeric and then 4-5 tomatoes in dices. Once it becomes a sauce, which basically means that your muscles will hurt for 1 week because of stirring for 1 hour, you throw the chicken inside, then you put some ginger/garlic paste and some spices for chicken biryani (which I am told you can find in every decent Indian shop, so hopefuly I can find them also in Frankfurt). Once the chicken is cooked, you put some half cooked rice on top, without mixing, you turn off the heat, cover and wait some time so that the steam finishes cooking the rice. And just before you serve it a little bit of fresh coriander on top. I have just read the stuff to Preeti and she told that I got it right, which means that I am going to make it soon. In general, what she told me is that with Indian cooking you can put a lot of stuff, but if you put salt, turmeric and chilli you will never go wrong. Roger. Today we also went around in Antwerpen, the town is really nice, we went walking around, bought a lot of chocolate, visited Rubens' house and went inside some sort of gallery which lookeed really great, with golden things on the ceiling, a really cool bar and a bookstore where I bought a guide of Belgium. And there are a lot of cool design shops.
Tonight Jack decided to have his birthday party despite me telling him, waaaaaaaaay before, that I was coming here. I am offended. So I assume he will have to fix my wireless connection before I can forgive him:-)