Heart warmer

Photograph by Aditya Menon.

BY RAJNI MENON

As Valentine’s Day approaches, we’re reminded that the way to a loved one’s heart is often through the stomach. Here’s a dish to warm both – my take on Lobster Molee, a variation on Meen Molee, one of the spicy dishes of south India. “Meen” in Malayalam means “fish.” It’s a curry with lots of green chilies and the juice from the tamarind tree fruit. Mostly seer fish is used for this curry, but any fish or shellfish can be substituted. The tamarind tree produces a podlike fruit with an edible paste inside. This paste is then mixed with water to produce tamarind juice. Adding this to any fish curry gives it a unique and tangy flavor. The fish curry is usually served with hot steamed rice or a lacy rice pancake called “appam.”

Here I have substituted tomatoes and lemon juice, which are readily available, for tamarind. I have also changed the recipe so that you can easily try it out at home. Happy Valentine’s Day to everyone. For more, visit creativerajni.com.

FOR THE LOBSTER MOLEE

INGREDIENTS: 5-6 lobster tails, shell removed and cut into bite-size pieces 2 tablespoons coriander powder 1 teaspoon turmeric powder 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1 cup diced red onions 2 diced Roma tomatoes 1 1/2 cups coconut milk 2 tablespoons minced garlic 2 teaspoons mustard seeds 3 tablespoons coconut oil 1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS: 1. Heat coconut oil in a pan and once hot, add mustard seeds and let the combination sputter. 2. Add red onions and sauté them until reddish brown. 3. Add minced garlic and stir for 20 seconds. 4. Add all spices – turmeric, salt, coriander and pepper – and stir for 30 seconds. 5. Add lemon juice and tomatoes and cook until tomatoes combine well with onions. 6. Check the salt at this point and add more if needed. Stir well to combine. Add lobster pieces and coconut milk. Stir well and then cover the pan. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes until lobster is cooked through. Turn off heat and add chopped fresh cilantro leaves and mix well.

FOR THE ROASTED CAULIFLOWER

INGREDIENTS: 2 cups of bite-size cauliflower florets 2 tablespoons ghee 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

DIRECTIONS: 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 2. In a roasting pan add florets, salt, pepper

and melted ghee and toss them to coat well. 3. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes uncovered. 4. Serve with steamed basmati rice as directed.

February, the month of “love,” is the perfect time for seniors and their families to review their living and care options. With that in mind, WAG offers this resource of leading senior living and care opportunities available throughout our region. Acquaint yourself with the professional services that touch on everything from housing needs to social programs, ranging from independent and assisted living facilities, as well as memory-care and skilled nursing options. LOVING CARE

Angels on Call Home Care 667 Stoneleigh Ave. Building A, Suite 302 Carmel, NY 10512 angelsoncallinc.com 845-628-2255

Artis Senior Living 553 N. State Road Briarcliff Manor, NY 10510 artisseniorliving.com 914-487-4743

Atria - Briarcliff Manor 1025 Pleasantville Road Briarcliff Manor, NY 10512 atriaseniorliving.com 914-401-4400

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Atria - Rye Brook 1200 King St. Rye Brook, NY 10573 atriaseniorliving.com 844-575-6149

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The Kensington 100 Maple Ave. White Plains, NY 10601 thekensingtonwhiteplains.com 914-390-0080

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Five Star Premier Residences 537 Riverdale Ave. Yonkers, NY 10705 fivestarseniorliving.com 914-423-2200

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The Mews 1/2 Bolling Place Greenwich, CT 06830 themewsingreenwich.org 203-869-9448

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Tappan Zee Manor 51 Mountainview Ave. Nyack, NY 10960 tzmanor.com 845-353-6100

The Bristal Assisted Living 90 Business Park Drive Armonk, NY 10504 and 305 North St. White Plains, NY 10605 thebristal.com 914-432-8200

The Chelsea at Greenburgh 715 Dobbs Ferry Road White Plains, NY 10607 chelseaseniorliving.com 914-275-0010

The Club at Briarcliff Manor 25 Scarborough Road Briarcliff Manor, NY 10510 914-539-7372 theclubbcm.com

The Greens at Cannondale & Wilton Meadows Rehabilitation 435 Danbury Road Wilton, CT 06897 thegreensatcannondale.com 203-761-1191

The Osborn 101 Theall Road Rye, NY 10580 914-925-8000 theosborn.org

The Residences at Selleck’s Woods 1 Parklands Drive Darien, CT 06820 residenceselleckswoods.com 203-424-2722

The Residences 14 Second St. Stamford, CT 06905 residencesummerstreet.com 203-803-4091

United Hebrew 391 Pelham Road New Rochelle, NY 10805 unitedhebrewgeriatric.org 914-632-2804

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Waveny LifeCare Network 3 Farm Road New Canaan, CT 06840 waveny.org 203-594-5200

Westchester Family Care 1 Depot Plaza Mamaroneck, NY 10543 westchesterfamilycare.com 914-223-8970

Invented by Haakon A. Larsen, the Booty Builder Adjustable Loop Band in pink. Photograph courtesy of Booty Builder, the original hip thrust machine.

BY FATIME MURIQI

A resistance band is one of the most convenient pieces of workout equipment you can own. It’s lightweight and versatile. While there are a bunch of ways to use this popular tool, a resistance band butt workout is an especially great idea for activating your glutes — which basically means getting them ready to work — and for “burnout”-style workouts, during which you’ll do high reps at a lower resistance.

Many traditional exercises like squats and lunges can activate other muscles in your body as well, such as the quads. But these bands will have you whipped into shape by bikini season, right in your own home. For more, visit bootybuilder.com.

If your mom was an amazing baker who loved yellow lilies or if your Dad was a decorated veteran who started out every day with strong, black coffee, we’ll be sure to know. We will acquaint ourselves with the meaningful details of your loved ones’ lives. Then, when memory fades, we will help them revisit the pleasure of past times, even if only moments. We will care for them-and you-as progressive memory loss occurs.

The Kensington’s memory care programs are highly personalized. Two distinctive “neighborhoods” — Connections and Haven — feature support that accommodates residents with different degrees of memory loss.

Connections residents are in the early to middle stages of dementias. They can independently engage in activities that give purpose to each day. Haven residents are in the middle to late stages of dementia. They need a higher level of clinical assistance and soothing care that increases comfort and reduces agitation.

Here at The Kensington, loving professionals honor the past but “meet residents where they are” now. By making the most of their strengths, they make today as joyful as possible.