My reply: Hello Stephanie! Yes that sounds like the Egyptian spice, seed and nut blend called Dukkah. I have a recipe for it in my latest cookbook. Here it is. You might like to duplicate it at home. Very tasty and nutritious.

Happy cooking!

"People often say that humans have always eaten animals, as if this is a justification for continuing the practice. According to this logic, we should not try to prevent people from murdering other people, since this has also been done since the earliest of times. "

- Isaac Bashevis Singer

Everyone loves a festival and what better place to celebrate than in heavenly Cairns. Due to the mercy of the frequent flyer programs of Qantas and VirginBlue, ten devotees from Brisbane were able to join the Cairns temple devotees in participating in an ecstatic parade.

Priests at the temple dedicated to Hindu god Krishna, at the request of some fun-loving devotees, gave the deity on Thursday a modern look, complete with jeans and a shirt and wielding a mobile phone. Activists of groups like Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) termed the move blasphemy and burnt effigies of the priests.

Just got word that Hitesh has been initiated by his spiritual master (Devamrita Swami) during the recent Ukraine festival. His initiated name is Radhikesa dasa. I’m really happy for him. Who would have have known that a photography student from Manchester would become such a great humble servant in the Gaudiya Vaisnava Sampradaya?

Here a picture from the ceremony:

“As far as charity is concerned, one should give fifty percent of his earnings to some good cause. And what is a good cause? It is that which is conducted in terms of Krsna consciousness. That is not only a good cause, but the best cause.” Bg 10.4-5 purport

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Thursday night I left Bangkok and flew to London.  I was fortunate to have two empty seats next to me so I could sleep nicely on the long flight, which left just after midnight.  London Soho is always blissful. a  There are three classes daily and Krsna Vritti Prabhu goes many times for harinam, so there is no time for Maya.
  On Saturday I was talking to Praghosh Prabhu and he said that Sunday was the "open day" for the island temple in Ireland.  He invited me to come.and  somehow he arranged flights. Early Sunday Mooring I flew to Dublin where he met me to drive to the Radha Govinda mandira at Inis  Ratha.    He has two very successful Govinda's restaurants in Dublin, and is soon opening a third one.  he told of a festival where the prasadam was so popular that one many stood in front and shouted the glories of the pakoras.   Even though they collected vegetables from the local farmers, they ran out before everyone could be satisfied.  Two ladies asked if they go stand in the tent and relish the smell of the prasadam.
     In the London iarport I met one devotee student from Mauritius.   She is studying law in Newcastle and told me that she wanted to become a magistrate and "fulfill Srila Prabhupada's desire>"  On the way to the airport I was reading Srila Prabhupad Vyasa Puja book and was impressed by the enthusiasm and positive attitude of the contributors.  Hearing how so many devotees are preaching and becoming more and more dedicated to the mission of Srila Prabhupada gives me great inspiration to keep trying to serve the devotees.
    The festival in Ireland was very successful.  Manu prabhu had arranged things very nicely.  The main tent had dancers from Bhaktivedanta Manor and drams by HG Parividha Prabhu.    His version of the "Boatman" was superb.    There was a very big inflated playground that kept the many children very happy.   There were several prasadam tables that were busy all day and all the guests were very happy to be in such a pleasing .   Manu was hoping for 3,000 guests and I think he got more than half of that.   Even when I left at 6 pm a large group of guests was arriving.   Festival like this are great ways to give vaisnava sanga to the public.   They can come and relax and enjoy the grounds, and at the same time hear kirtan, experience spritual culture and take prasadam.   For those who are more interested Srila Prabhupada;s books were available.  In fact everyone got one small book as they were leaving.   And the devotees always relish the chance to be together for preaching and sharing their happoiness in Krsna Consciousness

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura wrote in Shri Chaitanya's Teachings (pgs. 22-23):

"Worldly people possess a double nature. They express one kind of sentiment but internally cherish a different purpose. Moreover they want to advertise this duplicity as a mark of liberalism or love of harmony. Those who are unwilling to show any duplicity, wish to be frank and straightforward, or in other words exercise unambiguously the function of the soul; such really sincere persons are called sectarian and orthodox by those who practise duplicity."

"We will cultivate the society only of those who are straightforward.We will not keep company with anyone who is not so. We must by all means avoid bad company. We are advised to keep at a distance of a hundred cubits from animals of the horned species. We should observe similar caution in regard to all insincere persons."