Mind Cooking by my Dear Husband

Hi Friends.

One might wonder why this title for an egg curry, let me explain. Yesterday night my husband suddenly had a desire to have an egg curry and he asked me do we have some eggs left, and he got an answer ‘yes’. He said I want to do some MIND COOKING, I kept wondering what’s that? As I have mentioned I do keep some chopped vegetables ready in my refrigerator, so he had some handy chopped onions and green chilies to use. I helped him in the kitchen by chopping some tomatoes  and boiling the eggs. While cooking he explained me what he meant by MIND COOKING.

The mind suddenly conjures up a taste that it wants to eat. Once a desired taste builds up   then head keeps working trying to put together a cocktail of spices, which  is likely to result in the desired taste that the tongue was seeking. So the ultimate measure of success of any such foray into the kitchen depends on how close the end result was to the original desire. Since in any case the original desire, the process or the end result are not based on/ comparable to any known recipe. 

Now DH’s  tongue was asking for a particular taste which he said will taste some what like a thick, tangy kerala curry devoid of coconut but with loads of curry leaves  in it and he had a feeling that it will go well with appams or idiappams. So, the skeptical me, while he was cooking  kept asking him that he has hardly used any spices and we should have used more finely chopped onions..but he said that he would have preferred more coarsely chopped onions. To tell you truly I was not too sure whether I would love the end product and might have to search for something else to eat but gladly nothing of that happened, I enjoyed the curry and as he suggested this would taste brilliant with appam. The salt in the curry was on a little higher side which got compensated by the bland eggs but his MIND COOKING was SUCCESSFUL, he got the flavour and the consistency which he had aspired for!

So here’s DH’s recipe for the Kerala Style Egg Curry

Ingredients

6 boiled eggs

4 onions either sliced or coarsely chopped

6-7 green chilies chopped ( mine were not spicy)

2 tomatoes chopped

1 tsp ginger paste

1 tbsp tamarind paste

3-4 sprigs of curry leaves

2 tsp red chili pwd

1/2 tsp turmeric pwd

salt to taste

oil for cooking

1 tsp mustard seeds

Method

Heat oil and splutter the mustard seeds.

Saute the onions, green chilies, some curry leaves and ginger paste.

Now add the turmeric pwd and chili pwd and saute.

Add tomatoes, tamarind and salt to taste.

When the tomatoes are a little mushy add 1/2 cup water and simmer.

Cut the eggs into halves and pour the curry over them.

Serve it hot with rice or appams.

DH, I am quite happy that we could spend some more time together like this while you concocted a new preparation. I loved being your assistant in the cooking and enjoyed the dinner. Hope to get this kind of treat more frequently.

What is your say on this dear friends?

  Sending this to Priti’s event

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Maavinkaayi Chitranna (Raw Mango Rice)– Recipe 1, Step Wise|Karnataka Cuisine

 

Hello friends.

As I have mentioned earlier too that with the onset of summer the markets get flooded with Mangoes. We try to use mangoes in all forms whether it’s ripe or raw. I make many recipes using raw mangoes and this is S’s favorite. He had reminded me several times that I had not prepared this and his favorite Maavinkayi chutney which I have posted earlier.

Today I decided to please him so I made this Chitranna, which is a preparation with rice. Now when it comes to regional recipes from Karnataka my ultimate source is my MIL so to re-affirm the recipe I called her up and am glad I did that because she gave me more variations to the basic recipe, I thought mentally ‘Sone pe Suhagaa’. This is the very basic recipe and the  many variations  which I learnt will surely post gradually.

 

 

This particular recipe is extremely close to the basic vaggarne anna or what we call phodnicha bhaat in Marathi or baghara chawal in hindi. If you have grated mangoes and cooked rice this is a quick one to make. I love the simplicity of this recipe as with minimum ingredients an extremely tasty preparation is made. I personally love such recipes, as they are always a winner and perfect to impress others! So here goes the recipe..

 

 

Ingredients

5-6 cups of cooked rice

3-4 grated raw mangoes (small ones)

7-8 green chilies

1/2tsp turmeric

3tbsp mix of urad-chana dal

1/2 cup peanuts

2-3 sprigs curry leaves

if required some chili powder

salt to taste

oil for cooking

mustard seeds

4-5tbsp chopped cilantro

 

Method

The rice should be cooked in advance, cooled and the grains separated using hand.

Heat oil and add the mustard seeds and let them splutter, now add the urad-chana dal mix and peanuts and fry them, once they turn golden, tip in the curry leaves and chopped green chilies.

Add the grated mango, turmeric and salt to taste, mix and saute till cooked soft.

Mix this to the cooked rice along with some chopped cilantro. Mix gently without breaking the grains.

 

Verdict- The rice is extremely tasty, when I mixed the rice and tasted it to check the salt I could not control myself with one spoon and landed eating more. It is tangy and spicy and tantalizes the taste buds. Too good to resist and extremely simple to make.

The ingredients here are as per our requirements one is free to adjust as per one’s taste buds.

 

 

 

 

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Celebrating An Year of Blogging With Litchi Kulfi

Hello Friends!

I can not believe that my blog turns an year old today, something which I had started very casually for some time pass on 21st May’09 has turned out to become a passion. I started blogging with my first post Maavinkaayi Chutney on 22nd May’09 which is a spicy raw mango chutney from the state of Karnataka and my family’s favorite. Then I celebrated my 50th post with Chocolate Muesli Bars and the 100th with Jackfruit Biryani. I managed to conduct my first event The Combo Event, which with your support turned out to be quite successful. I also started my second blog Kitchen-Basics this year which is completely devoted to the beginners in cooking and also my children. Here I post simple recipes, basic cooking methods and traditional recipes too, like recently I posted Masala Potato Upma  which is a traditional Karnataka style spicy Upma/ Uppittu(do check it out, it’s too good).

In this one year of blogging at Foodelicious I tried various cuisines and various ingredients which probably I would not have attempted otherwise. Blogging has helped me grow as a cook and at the same time I find myself more knowledgeable. So many terms and techniques used in the Culinary World which I was completely unaware of, have now became a part of my life.  Baking which  was a rarity in my kitchen  first came to an occasional level and then gradually to a frequent level. Baking is something that I have started enjoying a lot but has not reached the level of overindulgence yet. I am gradually understanding the ratio and proportion of ingredients used in baking, various substitutes etc. I also want to thank Maria and Rosie of Sweet and Simple Bakes who were an inspiration for me when it comes to baking. Please join me friends to pray for Rosie(Jules) who passed away 2 days back. She was a real sweet heart and helped me with my queries during my initial days of blogging.

Blogging made me come close to so many people whom I have never met in person but we have touched each others lives. I get to interact with so many people, have friends with whom I chat on FB, some friends via mail and so many are a call away. I love the feel of knowing so many talented and nice people who always make me a realize that life is so special and there’s so much to know and learn.Thank you friends for all the kind words that you leave here and all the support that you have bestowed on me and my humble blog.

Ideally I should have baked a cake for my blog baby’s birthday so I kept debating with myself on which cake to bake as there are so many of them  that  I have been wanting to try but no matter how much I convinced myself I was in mood to stand in the fuming kitchen for a long time and try an elaborate recipe as the sun is extremely angry on us and the heat is just unbearable. An hour in the kitchen and I feel exhausted and dehydrated. Finally I decided to post yet another cold dessert but this time with another beautifully stoned fruit Litchi/Lychee.

I am so glad that I made  this tasty and quick to make kulfi, it completely satiated us, just sucks in the heat. The white colour of the Kulfi makes one feel cool, a perfect treat in this hot climate and just apt for any kind of celebration.

This kulfi needs very basic ingredients and has the mild but extremely delectable flavor of Lychee. The same proportion can be used to make Kulfi with other fruits like mango, custard apple and strawberry too. This Kulfi is not heavy to digest as it does not use a lot of Khoya and additional cream. Let’s read how I made it and you would realize that I am not exaggerating on the simplicity of this preparation..

Ingredients

a litre of full cream milk

1/4 can of condensed milk

5-6 tbsp sugar (please adjust this according to your taste)

about a cup of fresh lychee pulp ( I used 3/4 cup fresh pulp and 1/4 cup Lychee crush)

Method

Seed the lychee and then blend it in a mixer. Sieve the pulp. Mix the lychee crush to that.

Take a heavy bottom pan and boil the milk and reduce it to half, keep stirring continuously and do not let the milk scorch at the base of the pan. Add the sugar and boil for about 5 minutes on high flame.

Cool the milk and then add the condensed milk and lychee pulp to it.

Pour the mix in kulfi moulds and freeze it for about 6-8 hours.

For de-molding, take a napkin in your hand and rub the mould between the palms or dip the mould in water. Garnish with some chopped Pistachios and fresh Mint and serve immediately.

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Mixed Veggies In Not So White-White Gravy and getting friendly with Peeli Mirch (yellow chili powder)

Hi.

I post yet another simple curry, this particular curry has a diversified use, it can be used as a regular preparation or a party preparation. It will loved by the kids as it’s not high on spices and surely by elders as it’s creamy and flavorful. I have used mixed vegetables but Paneer/ Cottage Cheese tastes equally good in this gravy.

Why is this called a white gravy and why does the picture  not look so white?

When I planned making the curry I did not realize that I am short of green chilies so  I experimented with the YELLOW MIRCHI which I had purchased recently. Now the yellow mirch does not impart colour like the turmeric but it gives a light tinge of yellow and hence this colour. The mirchi is quite spicy and is used in making water for paani poori and is added to many curries. This is surely more expensive than the red chili powder and is not readily available every where.

This WHITE gravy uses boiled onions and boiled ginger and garlic, for sourness it uses yogurt instead of tomatoes and for richness and creaminess it uses cashew nuts. This  particular recipe does not use red chili powder instead uses green chilies. All these ingredients together impart the white colour to the gravy. It requires minimum sautéing and is made in no time. The flavouring is provided by whole spices and pounded coriander seeds. For more richness poppy seeds can also be used but I am happy using only cahew nuts.

Ingredients

2 small cauliflower cut into florets

2 potatoes cubed

1 carrot cubed

3 onions chopped

5-6 garlic pods

1” ginger piece

6-7 green chilies chopped ( I used 2 tsp yellow mirchi)

1-1/2 cup yogurt

7-8 cashew nuts

whole spices ( black cardamom, green cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaves)

2 tbsp pounded coriander seeds

salt to taste

and a mix of oil and ghee for cooking (one is free to use the ghee completely)

Method

Boil together the onions, ginger and garlic, cool and then grind to a paste.

Grind together yogurt and cashew nuts.

Blanch the vegetables.

Heat oil and ghee mix and put the whole spices.

Now add the boiled onion paste and saute lightly on low flame for a minute. Do not let the curry turn brown. Add the green chilies ( I added yellow chili) and pounded coriander seeds.

Remove from fire and add the yogurt mix and keep stirring continuously to prevent curdling. Put it back on flame and season with some salt.

Add the blanched vegetables. If required add water and bring it to a boil. Simmer and cook on low flame till the ingredients blend with each other and the veggies are cooked.

This curry goes well with Naan, Paratha or Rice.

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CHENILLES-Vu dans la Presse

17 mai 2010 07h23 | Par Jacques Ripoche

SUD OUEST
Chenilles plus scolytes* forment un cocktail ravageur pour les pins

Le Pôle santé des forêts pour l'Aquitaine et Midi-Pyrénées publie ce lundi le bilan de sa campagne d'observation sur le massif landais durant l'hiver 2009-2010. Il confirme l'activité spectaculaire de la chenille processionnaire du pin. L'insecte, qui n'avait pas sévi avec une telle intensité depuis vingt ans, est jugé responsable de la défoliation de « plusieurs centaines de milliers d'hectares ».
« Le phénomène n'est pas lié à la tempête Klaus », explique Emmanuel Kersaudy, technicien forestier qui a participé à ce travail, car « l'hiver précédent, une augmentation sensible des populations de chenilles avait déjà été constatée sur la façade ouest du massif ». Ensuite, un automne 2009 « particulièrement doux » a favorisé un développement larvaire précoce. Ainsi les premières « processions » ont-elles été observées dès la mi-octobre. Soit avec de trois à six mois d'avance. « C'est ce développement rapide de la chenille », souligne-t-on au Pôle santé des forêts, qui a favorisé « des défoliations plus précoces et plus importantes que d'habitude ».

Si elle n'en est pas la cause, la tempête Klaus a toutefois créé des conditions favorables. En temps normal, disent les techniciens, « les fortes défoliations affectent principalement les lisières, mais on observe cette année des peuplements défoliés jusqu'au milieu des parcelles, sur des superficies importantes ». Explications : « Dans certaines zones, la raréfaction des pins combinée avec de fortes populations de chenilles a provoqué des processions de famines au cours de l'automne. Cela s'est traduit par des processions de chenilles qui changeaient d'arbre à la recherche d'aiguilles à consommer. Toutes les classes d'âge ont subi des défoliations. »
Redoutable conjonction
Ordinairement, la chenille n'est pas mortelle pour le pin. Logiquement, au printemps, il reforme des aiguilles. Sauf que, cette année, les nouvelles pousses sur les pins défoliés présentent « un retard important dans le débourrement ». C'est ce qui provoque chez le promeneur le sentiment d'avoir affaire à des arbres morts. Contrariée par un début de printemps sec, la reprise est toutefois bien en marche, assure-t-on au Pôle santé.
Cela dit, les arbres ne survivrons peut-être pas tous. La tempête, en mettant 37 millions de mètres cubes de bois à terre, a favorisé le développement d'autres insectes qui s'infiltrent sous l'écorce, comme les scolytes. « Nous avons observé ce printemps de sévères attaques de scolytes sur des peuplements de pin maritime et taeda défoliés à plus de 90 % par la chenille processionnaire », indique le PSF, qui prévient : « Défoliation par la processionnaire et attaques de scolytes exceptionnelles, la conjonction de ces deux éléments peut entraîner en 2010 des mortalités importantes parmi les peuplements le plus défoliés. » Pour limiter les dégâts, les techniciens préconisent d'exploiter les arbres attaqués par les scolytes « même s'ils ne sont pas encore morts » et de les évacuer rapidement.

* http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scolytinae

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Crispy Rice Fritters

Hi.

As I have mentioned earlier also several times that I am a weirdo in a sense that I always cook better when I cook in anger (this is S’s theory) but another theory that I am coming up for myself is  that the best of the recipes that I concoct are always in a hurry and that too with few ingredients. A good example that comes first to my mind, just to prove you guys about my theory is the Instant Bread Dosa.

The school has advanced the school timings, it starts early and gets over by noon. So my kid has to leave by 6:30 in the morning and for that I have to get up by 5:30 am and finish cooking by 6:15 am. So one can see I must wake up with a good planning. Normally I decide at night what I want to make in the morning and finish a bit of chopping so that I have a hassle free morning.

But yesterday I slept clueless what I would make in the morning, so when I entered the kitchen I was a bit worried as I woke up a little late and I was clueless what to make. My quick savior at such times are the cheese slices and bread but today I did not have them. Sleepily I opened the fridge and checked what was available. I had some rice left over from the night meal and I had some chopped onions and grated cabbage. Instantly I had a fairly good idea what I wanted to make….Do read the recipe as it surely is a tasty savior when in hurry and good way to finish the left over rice as I finished cooking them in 15 minutes. So I can call this the Quick Best Out of Waste Fritters. One can also try the Rice and Roti Cutlet which I have posted earlier in case they also have rotis in hand.

I liked these fritters so much that I made one batch for myself later in the day and then managed to take these clicks. Yes, I had made fried stuff all for myself and I was mighty pleased as I rarely indulge in fried food, just loved every bite . This recipe is a base and one can use their choice of veggies and spices that they have in store and make these fritters. For a continental touch, one can  surely add oregano, celery as the herbs.

Ingredients

a cup of cooked rice

an egg

2 finely chopped green chilies

3 tbsp chopped onions

3 tbsp grated cabbage

2 tbsp chopped carrot

2-3 tbsp chopped cilantro

2-3 tbsp gram flour/ besan

1 tsp cumin pwd

1/2 tsp chili pwd

salt to taste

oil for deep frying

Method

In a bowl take the cooked rice and crush it lightly with fingers. Mix in the ingredients one by one and make a batter mix. The egg and gram flour helps to shape and bind  in the batter and enhances the crispiness too. Even if you do not have many veggies, only an onion or any other vegetable can be used and the fritters still taste good.

Make small fritters and deep fry them on a medium flame. Remove them on a kitchen towel to get rid of the excess oil. Serve with tomato sauce.

These can be a good starter or finger food and I surely found a good snack for the kid's lunch box. So tell me friends what is your opinion about my theory?

Sending this to Niloufer’s Twenty-20 Cooking event.

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Eggless Whole Wheat Choco-Almond-Banana Bread and my Guest Post at Foodlyrics

Hi.

Yippee!!! I am posting second dessert in a row, something that I have not done before!!! After a chilled Italian dessert- Mango Panna Cotta, it’s time for a bread …I am surely on a baking spree, have baked two cakes in the last few days, the previous one was Orange Butter Milk Pound Cake.

The kids say they love home made cake, so have decided to bake more frequently at home. Good for me, I am enjoying my baking sessions and the aroma of baked products in the kitchen. Baking is giving me tremendous satisfaction, end of the day it gives me a feeling of a GOOD JOB DONE. With my every bake I get a feeling that I am gradually learning the art of good baking and also understanding why bakers are so passionate about it.

As a mother we are always on a look out for recipes which are wholesome and nutritive.This bread is perfect to fall in this category. I had bookmarked this recipe from Arudhati’s blog-Escapades a few months ago. I got attracted to this bread especially since she had used whole wheat flour. I simply loved the texture and the moistness it had. It has banana- a fruit, whole wheat as the flour, almonds which are rich in proteins and kids friendly chocolate chips. In the original recipe she has used sugar but I have replaced that with the Brown sugar as I always feel it goes well with the banana. The bread is not high on calories as I have used oil instead of butter and the best part it’s eggless. It can be perfect evening snack for children and good dessert too when served with some whipped cream.

Thanks Arundhati for such an awesome recipe, we all loved it and I will surely make this more frequently. The bread has a firm crust, is amazingly soft inside and extremely flavorful. The  crunchy almonds give a nice bite. I would have preferred a little less cinnamon, so next time I make this I will use 1/4 tsp instead of half. For those who love the flavour of cinnamon kindly stick to half spoon.

Ingredients

2 cups whole wheat flour

3 large bananas/ 1-1/2 cup mashed banana

1/2 tsp dry ginger pwd

1/2 tsp cinnamon pwd

1/2 tsp baking pwd

3/4 tsp baking soda

3/4 cup brown sugar

4 tbsp oil

1 tsp vanilla

4 tbsp yogurt

1/4 butter milk

1/4 slivered almonds

1/2 cup choco chips

Method

Preheat the oven at 350F.

Mix together wheat flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, baking pwd thoroughly.(the original recipe does not ask for baking pwd but I have used it)

Mix together the oil, yogurt, sugar, butter milk, vanilla and mashed banana and blend together.

Fold in the flour mix gradually into the oil-banana mix. Do not over mix.

Grease a bread tin (9”*5” size)and pour in half the batter and spread half of the choco chips.

Pour in the remaining batter and spread the choco chips and slivered almonds on top.

Bake for 50 minutes to an hour. My cake was done in 50 mins. Insert a skewer, if it comes out clean the cake is done.

Cool on a rack and then cut into slices using a bread knife.

Serve warm.

Do drop by to check out my guest post at Deepa’s blog Foodlyrics. Deepa is a wonderful person and has an amazing collection of recipes which every one can try, so do check out her space. And thanks Deepa for asking me to write, I am truly overwhelmed. All the best for all your future and German Classes, keep smiling always.

Sending the cake to CFK-WWF hosted by Priya at Mharo Rajasthan’s Recipes and is the brain child of Sharmi.

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Mango Panna Cotta an Italian Dessert

Hi.

While my friends in the west enjoy spring or the onset of summer, the heat here is becoming intolerable day by day. I try very consciously not to indulge myself in too many cold drinks and stick to ever refreshing Jal- jeera and Chhaanchh or flavoured butter milk.

With summer, one can see the market flooded with stoned fruits and amongst all of them tops the king of fruits Mango. Talking about Mango, who does not like it? May is the month when one can enjoy Alphonso, one of the most popular variety of Mango grown largely in the coastal areas of Konkan in Maharashtra. It is one of the most expensive variety and has an exquisite taste.

I have been wanting to make the very popular Italian dessert Panna cotta for quite some time. S got a big box of Alphonso which we have been eating religiously every day post dinner. I was left with a few more Mangoes to finish and  was wanting to make a chilled  dessert with it, instantly I was tempted to make the Mango Panacotta.

Panacotta is a very simple preparation and is from Northern Italian region of Piemonte. It actually means cooked cream made by simmering cream, milk and sugar together. The dessert is either topped with fruits, dry fruits, spices or a fruit coulis. It is a very popular dessert which needs few ingredients and takes no time to make it.

Ingredients

a cup of mango puree

1-1/2 cups butter milk

1 tbsp gelatin about 7 gms or china grass

200ml low fat cream

1 tsp vanilla essence

6-7 tbsp sugar

Method

Mix the mango puree with butter milk and whisk. Strain the mix.

Put the cream on heat and bring it to a boil. Add the sugar and essence.

Mix water in the gelatin so that it is completely covered with water. On a double boiler melt the gelatin. Strain it.

Mix the gelatin in the cooked cream and whisk. Mix it into the mango-buttermilk mixture. Whisk. At this stage taste the sugar, if you feel like adding more add now.

Rinse the ramekins with water and pour the mango-cream mix. This enables the Pana cotta to come out easily after it’s set.

Refrigerate for 4-5 hrs. Run a knife along the edges and keep the ramekins upside down. Incase the set Pana cotta does not slide easily out of the ramekins, dip them in a bowl of hot water, this will loosen up the edges.

Garnish with mango slices, chopped pistachios and mint.

Serve chilled.

Sending this to Srivalli’s Thanda Mela

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Spicy Punjabi Style Egg Curry

Hello.

I have been quite irregular with my blog. Inspite of trying to be regular I have failed because of some or the other reason. It seems my unidentified fever of over 15 months will surely be diagnosed by my new doc whom I am seeing these days. I do not want to talk much about my health and make you all worry, but few of my friends keep asking me about that so I mentioned it here. I am fine otherwise and want to be completely healthy and rocking again. God willing it will surely happen!!

I am posting today a very tasty and a quick fix meal recipe of an egg curry which was shared by my Coordinator a few years back. She is a Punjabi and an excellent cook. Living in a joint family she would always  concoct versions which were simple and yet so tasty. I  would always attack her Tiffin during lunch time and she would gladly share her stuff with all of us. So here’s her version of Punjabi Egg Curry which we had with Ajwain Parathas. The two make an awesome combo, try it to believe it!!

Ingredients

6 hard boiled eggs

3 onions coarsely chopped

4 large garlic pods

an inch of ginger piece

2 tbsp Tomato Ketch Up

1/4 cup ready made tomato puree or 2 tomatoes pureed

1/4 cup thick yogurt beaten

Salt to taste

oil for cooking

Spices

1/2 tsp turmeric

2 tsp red  chili pwd

3 tsp corianader pwd

1/4 tsp garam masala

Method

Peel the boiled eggs and shalow fry them in a tea spoon of oil to give them a crunchy golden crust.

Crush the ginger and garlic to a coarse paste. Grind the onions to a paste.

Heat a few tea spoons of oil and add the GG paste and saute, do not let it burn and add the onion paste, saute it on low flame till it’s nicely brown in colour.

Now add all the spices except the garam masala and saute again.

Add the tomato ketch up and tomato puree. Saute till oil separates.

Switch off the flame and add the beaten yogurt. Mix thoroughly and put it back on flame.

When the oil separates on the edges add water to make gravy.Sprinkle the garam masala and mix.

Cut each egg into 4 pieces longitudinally. Arrange them in a dish and pour the gravy.

Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro.

Serve with Ajwain parathas or rice.

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