That other group dedicated to the downfall of materialistic globalized civilization is also facing significant internal debate over traditional gender roles. From CNN comes the story: "Al Qaeda faces gender debate".

Muslim extremist women are challenging al Qaeda's refusal to include -- or at least acknowledge -- women in its ranks, in an emotional debate that gives rare insight into the gender conflicts lurking beneath one of the strictest strains of Islam.

It's interesting to note how a group that is arguably the quintessence of the agrarian backlash to post-industrial global society is also being pulled kicking and screaming into post-modernity.

Al-Zawahiri's remarks show the fine line al Qaeda walks in terms of public relations. In a modern Arab world where women work even in some conservative countries, al Qaeda's attitude could hurt its efforts to win over the public at large. On the other hand, noted SITE director Katz, al-Zawahiri has to consider that many al Qaeda supporters, such as the Taliban, do not believe women should play a military role in jihad.

Hmmm... perhaps they should consider annotations? Then again, that might be singularly divisive, since the two camps have practically diametrically opposed views.

Al-Zawahiri's question-and-answer campaign is one sign of al Qaeda's sophistication in using the Web to keep in touch with its popular base, even while its leaders remain in hiding. However, the Internet has also given those disenfranchised by al Qaeda -- in this case, women -- a voice they never had before.

Go the web and people who have figured out how it alters the game! ISKCON has the venerable D.A.S.I (Devotees Associating with Spiritual Intent) blog - which is not to be confused with the new (Vaisnava) Dasi blog, which is for the more militantly activist wing. The older, more established D.A.S.I blog is focused on individual spiritual practice, with a mission that includes focusing on developing members' Krishna consciousness and deepening their relationships, and a longer term focus of "Personal…Local…Global". The new Dasi blog, on the other hand, is more political in nature, focuses on day-to-day current events, and calls members to political action, including lobbying the individual members of the GBC (their email addresses are helpfully listed on the front page). Recent pronouncements coming from the GBC do give the impression that the body is responsive to this form of influence.

Interestingly I stumbled across this in my RSS-feeds today:

Bureaucracies tend to define their church’s mission as a form of liberalism for another reason: They are easily taken over by politically organized groups, both because such people tend to join them to advance their cause and because an organized group can easily be given a place in the process. Liberals are politically more active and better organized, in part because traditional believers are working on their sermons or running soup kitchens or raising their children or helping their neighbors.

- Reorganizing Religion - Why the Church Bureaucracies Have to Go

I'm not saying that this is the case in ISKCON, but if it were, the new Dasi blog deliberately or instinctively (woman's intuition?) homes in on that leverage point.

And if some Vaisnavis find even this level of political activism still too moderate for their taste, there's always that other revolutionary organization to go to, to take it to the next level:

Women bent on becoming militants have at least one place to turn to. A niche magazine called "al-Khansaa" -- named for a female poet in pre-Islamic Arabia who wrote lamentations for two brothers killed in battle -- has popped up online. The magazine is published by a group that calls itself the "women's information office in the Arab peninsula," and its contents include articles on women's terrorist training camps, according to SITE.

More power to the sisters!

(And no, I am not calling politically active women in ISKCON "terrorists", just to be clear on that point.)

Our web site has suffered major problems and is being rebuilt. We should be back to normal soon. Please bear with us. Our June 2008 Care for Cows Newsletter has been posted. Please review it at your earliest convenience.

Click here to head one over to the Club 108 blog for the first installment of our weekly series “Simple Living, High Thinking”, as we let you know all about our adventures living the dream of real honest-to-goodness farm life, via our Small Farm Training Center and our beautiful garden projects (the Teaching Garden and the Garden of Seven Gates).

But you knew this already, didn't you.

Some uninformed people still think vegetarians and especially vegans must be emaciated and pale, and maybe a little trembly due to malnutrition. Yesterday's class on Queensland's Gold Coast blew that idea right out of the water. Our robust and buffed crew of vegans ploughed into their cookery tasks like a warm knife through Nuttelex.

That's Paul, Leah, Lisa and Nick, with their freshly-made Baba Gannouj (flame-roasted eggplant with tahini, lemon juice and herbs). And below is the ever-smiling Swami chopping the parsley. Gosh, there was a lot of parsley.

Our generous hosts Kevin (partly obscured, third from centre) and John (far left) were extremely hospitable and kind. Kevin's vegan cupcakes are famous for miles around. If you're a fan of cupcakes but are fed up with trying to figure out how to replace the eggs and other unacceptables, I recommend the spectacular "Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World" by Isa Chandra Moskowitz & Terry Hope Romero. I brought home a copy.

It was indeed a joyous event, and a pleasure to cook with so many soft-hearted souls dedicated to treading lightly on Mother Earth.

Today, 2 June 2008, marks the 3rd birthday of my blog. After crawling and dribbling toothlessly through it's formative years, it's now up and running, gnashing its teeth. The pitter-patter of it's tiny feet can be distinctly heard in the internet world. May it live long!

If you wish to go back and reminisce, visit my blog archives.

I'm catching Virgin Flight DJ 519 to Australia's 'Sunny Gold Coast' (read 'wet and windy') today. There's a vegan cooking class a'brewin'.

Here's our menu:

The Global Vegan

Fragrant South Indian Hot & Sour Toor Dal Soup (Rasam) Orange and Pecan-studded Canadian Wild Rice and Basmati Pilaff BBQ Asparagus with Semi-dried Tomato & Macadamia Chutney Mild Karnataka-style Poriyal of Cauliflower, Potato and Peas Succulent Mixed Vegetable Balls in Herbed Tomato Sauce (Kofta) Dubai-style Salad of Dates, Turkish Bread, Almonds, Bitter Greens, Roasted Tofu & Fresh Herbs Smoky Lebanese Eggplant Dip (Babagannouj) Epiphany Doughnuts in Lemon-scented Rose & Orange-Blossom Syrup

Stay tuned...

Devotees came from nine countries to attend the first annual ISKCON farm Conference at New Vraja-dhama in Hungary. America, England, Belgium, Germany, Czech, Slovakia, Poland, Sweden, and Hungary were represented.

Srila Prabhupada has voiced these words thirty years ago:
“Our farm projects are an extremely important part of our movement. We must become self sufficient by growing our own grains and producing our own milk, then there will be no question of poverty. So develop these farm communities as far as possible. They should be developed as an ideal society depending on natural products not industry. Industry has simply created godlessness, because they think they can manufacture everything that they need. Our Bhagavad-gita philosophy explains that men and animals must have food in order to maintain their bodies. And the production of food is dependent on chanting Hare Krishna. Therefore let everyone chant Hare Krishna, eat nicely and keep their bodies fit and healthy. This is ideal life style.”

Again around these times, in another speech, Srila Prabhupada has mentioned that the International Society of Krishna Consciousness is just on the half way and emphasised on building of Varnashrama; meaning that our Vaishnava heritage; the rural communities has to be realised.

While Srila Prabhupada’s thirtieth disappearance year was nearly over, during the winters meditative peacefullness, I saw my prabhuji diving into long thoughts and in quite distress… when he expressed himself we faced this question: “then what will we do now?” The rural community project that has started 15 years ago with the blessings of Radhe Syama, guru and the devotees in Hungary has now reached to a point where it can produce its own natural grain and milk, offering a healthy and spiritual life to all of the community from elders to children, mothers to oxen. With the attractive happiness of the residents every year growing numbers of guests and tourists tastes a very pleasing atmosphere.

This very beautiful picture on one side, our hearts were sad and in search. Because although the movement Srila Prabhupada installed was international, globally rural communities were not developed and those present were nearing to vanishing point. Then my mind wondered to the natural fact of how a growing fruit tree gives flowers and fruits, awakening to me that today Krishna-valley is like a spring messenger in blossom. We found ourselves looking on the world atlas, thinking where else rural communities can be installed.

Spring arrived and a few days ago the great moment came where we have been looking forward to in excitement. We took a big step towards Srila Prabhupada’s desire by hosting the “Cow Protection and Developing Rural Communities” conference here in Krishna-valley. The conference was held up with nearly thirty representatives from European countries (Belgium, Germany, Czech Republic, England, Sweden, Poland, Slovakia) directed by the European Cow Protection and Agriculture manager Shyamasundara prabhu who gave us a presentation on the general condition of European farms with their self sufficiency, capacity of oxens used on agriculture, milk production, forest usage, housing capacity etc. with graphics. The conclusion of this practical presentation revealed the fact that many of the farms which are counted to be, were actually not present at all or near to coming to an end. Despite two, three farms, there is no one using oxen actively for agriculture and moreover, most of them are just waiting for the cows to die away form old age.

We see the most interesting side of this condition when we take a look at the milk usage. These “said to be farm” communities are using more milk then even the best milk producer farms. How so? They are simply buying milk from the market. In earlier times, where there were no communities at all, Srila Prabhupada agreed that we could buy milk, consoling devotees with the knowledge of ajnata sukriti in Vedas. Surely it is true that by offering the milk to Krishna, we are helping the spiritual life of that mother, who is crying while being milked with machines and when she can not give any more milk, is sent to the slaughter house. Now after nearly half a decade, please take a moment and hear your heart. How long we will keep on hiding behind ajnata sukriti? Are we aware of the growing slaughter industry and its many complications to the humanity and environment behind our acts? Is this the way of life in Krishna consciousness?

The honor guests in the conference were Balabhadra prabhu and his wife Chayadevi mataji from USA. Full of detailed knowledge developing through many years of endeavor, today they are representing the International Cow Protection organization. After giving a memorable speech on where humanity is heading to within the movement and the world, they distrubuted us their valuable research material in big book size. It is covering the thoughts of Srila Prabhupada on cow protection and rural communities, practical cattle care and how we can settle the values of cow protection.

Maybe the hardest condition to digest they have been facing throughout many years of services is the lack of interest and importance given within the movement of Krishna consciousness. On his speech, Balabhadra prabhu took our attention to the pictures describing Krishna’s life with the cows, those that many of us love so much. And revealed the striking fact: Appearance of Krishna as a cowherd boy is “on purpose”. In this way, with all His beautiful lilas, He is teaching us how to serve and love the cows and the land.

Later on, Smita Krsna Svami Maharaj described the development and maintanence of the rural community with thirty inhabitants in Sweden and answered questions on the matter of house-land ownership. With encouraging projects, Dhirasanta and Haladhara prabhu gave a representation on organic vegetable production, honey and soap workshops and a movie showing their latest wheat grinder working powered with a condition cycle. Haladhara prabhu described how he is able to earn good income from egzotic salad production which is all year around producable and only of about 10m land. Local and organic production, recyclable and natural packaging are the choices of English public interested on the matter. Varnasrama prabhu and his wife Padma Mukhi mataji from Czech Republic talked on the good quality wheat and flour production, maintainance of the farm with nice photos.

In the end of the conference while everyone was expressing these valuable two days happiness, Balabhadra prabhu gave a speech hardly keeping his tears away. The conference came to a common conclusion that for cow protection and the development of rural communities, there is a need to increase communication within the movement, to inform the european GBC and to realise financial support, propagation and education through leaders.

The two day conference programs afternoons was spent with excursion-education tours. First day Govardhan Lal also joined us with the help of Haladar and Thakur pulling His cart. We had a walk to the goshala, vegetable-fruit gardens and to the cellars.

During walk, our guests found the chance to speak with the devotees on fields and examine the devices used.

Smita Krsna Svami Maharaj and Syamasundara prabhu listening the goshala presentation. A newly arrived 70 year old wheat ear separation machine working with the ox power was observed with interest.

Anthardi prabhu showing the grass cutting technique.

Our youngest oxes, Vishala and Sundara’s walking exercises also took a lot of interest. Next day the enthusiastic group visited various houses where there is no city water-electricity and observed natural living in our village. Towards evening while we visited our bee colonies, gathering information on beekeeping and the products, all of our guests were in happiness. We offered to host the next conference next May in Krishna-valley and started educational programs on different areas of self sufficiency and organic agriculture. Already we are now hosting two devotees from England Bhaktivedanta Manor, coming for training on bee keeping. We will be happy to help you if you are interested, lets keep in touch.

Toni from Brisbane writes:

"Could you please explain what is asafoetida powder?"

Asafetida (also spelled asafoetida) is the aromatic resin from the root of the giant fennel, Ferula asafoetida. It is also known as hing, and is extracted from the stems of the giant perennial plants that grow wild in Central Asia, especially Northern Iran and Afghanistan. Thus it is known as an oleo-resin exudate.

In the spring, when the plant is about to bloom, the stems and roots are cut. Milky resin exudes from the cut surface and is scraped off. The gummy resin is sun-dried into a solid mass that is then sold in solid, wax-like pieces. Most raw asafetida is sent to India for further processing and sale, mostly in the convenient powdered form.

Asafetida has been held in great esteem among indigenous medicines from the earliest times in India. It is highly reputed as a drug to expel wind from the stomach, and to counteract spasmodic disorders. Asafetida is also a digestive agent and is used, among other things, for alleviating toothache and as an antidote for opium.

In Thailand it is used to aid babies' digestion and is smeared on the child's stomach in an alcohol tincture known as "mahahing".

John C Duval reported in 1936 that the odor of asafetida is attractive to the wolf, a matter of common knowledge, he says, along the Texas/Mexico border.

Haitian black-magic rituals often would include asafetida to keep the evil spirits at bay.

It was familiar in the early Mediterranean, having come by land across Iran, and was popular in any self-respecting Classical kitchen. Though it is generally forgotten now in Europe, it is still widely used in India (commonly known there as hing).

Some sources say that it emerged into Europe from a conquering expedition of Alexander the Great, who after returning from a trip to north-eastern Persia (modern Afghanistan), thought they had found a plant almost identical to the famed silphium of Cyrene in north Africa. Nevertheless, it could be substituted for silphium in cooking, which was fortunate, because a few decades after Dioscorides time, the true silphium of Cyrene went extinct, and Asafoetida gained in popularity, by physicians as well as cooks.

After the Roman Empire fell, until the 16th century, asafoetida was rare in Europe, and if ever encountered, is was viewed as a medicine.

"If used in cookery, it would ruin every dish because of its dreadful smell," asserted García de Orta's European guest.

"Nonsense", García replies, "nothing is more widely used in every part of India, both in medicine and in cookery. All the Hindus who can afford it buy it to add to their food. The rich Brahmins, and all the Hindus who are vegetarian, eat a lot of it. They add it to their vegetables and herbs, and first rubbing the cooking pot with it: it is seasoning, sauce, and condiment in every dish they eat".

In the days of Moghul aristocracy in India, the court singers of Agra and Delhi would wake before dawn and eat a spoonful of asafetida with butter to enhance their singing voice before practicing on the banks of the Yamuna river.

Asafetida is also excellent for settling flatulence and is prescribed by Indian herbalists for respiratory problems like whooping cough and asthma.

Due to the presence of sulphur compounds, raw asafetida has a distinctive pungent aroma. To cook with asafetida, small quantities of the powdered form are sauteed in a little slightly-hot oil or ghee, before adding to a variety of savoury dishes, adding a delicious flavour reminiscent of a mixture of shallots and garlic.

I always uses the mild yellow asafetida powder and not the grey variety. All my recipes calling for asafetida were tested using this yellow variety. If using other types, reduce the quantity to between a quarter and a half of the suggested amount. Asafetida is available at Indian grocers and specialty stores.

If you want to learn piano, you need to practice the authorised lessons of an highly qualified teacher. If you think you can start composing piano concertos in your first few months, you will fail.

Similarly, if you want to become a competent cook, you must follow recipes, constantly, regularly, until you become very experienced. When you reach a steady level of competence, then, and only then, should you make up recipes. If you do, those made-up recipes will be based on sound kitchen principles.

I know that some of you will not agree with this perspective. I meet many such persons at my cookery classes who admit to never following recipes. Okay, they may pull it off sometimes, but sometimes they will fail. And their cookery may never be extra-special.

Ok, I guess you are not surprised in hearing this viewpoint, since I write cookbooks. Some people are incorrigible speculators, and you can't teach an old kitchen dog new tricks. But I sincerely offer this advice to any beginner who really wants to become an expert cook.

Yesterday I whipped up a quickie for breakfast with what immediately was in arms reach in the kitchen. There are no exact amounts, but as explained above, if you understand the principles of cookery, you can (as I did) write a recipe on the spot.

I toasted a couple of slices of my homemade sourdough bread.

Then I heated a tablespoon of olive oil in a wok, and dropped in a couple handfuls of cubed organic tofu.

After the tofu turned a little golden on it's edges, I sliced up a couple of Bequinho chilis (see yesterday's blog) and tossed them in. Then a sprinkle of yellow asafetida, followed by a generous grinding of mixed peppercorns (freeze-dried green, pink, and black Malabar). On top of that I threw in two very ripe, chopped organic trellis tomatoes, and allowed them to break down a bit.

Finally, I chopped some fine stalks of fresh coriander (I had used the leaves the day before), a smidge of raw sugar, a trace of ground black salt and some ground rock salt. Onto the toast, some chanting of Vedic hymns and the famed Maha Mantra to sanctify the offering, and it was ready.

Very simple, of course, but very nice. You could replace the tofu with panir, or baked ricotta, or haloumi.

Cooking breakfast can be a great pleasure, especially if you can get yourself in a joyous, appreciative frame of mind. Then the eating part can be all the more rich and rewarding. Yum!!

While at Mangrove Mountain I met up with John Leone, a 'chili head' extraordinaire. He gave me a beautiful collection of chilies, all picked fresh from his extensive collection.

I took down the names and some interesting information, as well as photographing them.

Every chili in these photos is different. John has a website, and he sells seeds. If you are a serious chili aficionado, I suggest you check it out.

Just in case you cannot read my writing, here are their names.

For the photo above, all names left to right.

Top Row: Rocoto Peron, Manzano Orange, Manzano Red. Second Row: Naga Morich, Aussie Black, Royal Black. Third Row: Burkina, Scotch Bonnet, Peruvian Chinense. Fourth Row: Aji Cristal, Aji Amarillo. Fifth Row: Aji Habañero, tiny Bolivian Chacoense. Bottom Row: Siam #1 and #2, Eximium, Bishop's Crown

The chili heat identification scale is called the Scoville Scale. It is abbreviated as SHU (Scoville Heat Units). However chili heat is more commonly identified on a scale of 1 to 10, ten being blisteringly hot. I guess 1 Scoville is so many tens or hundreds of SHU sub-units. I forgot to ask John.

The chilies above range from searingly hot to mild. The hottest one above is the Naga Morich, an astonishing 1,000,000 SHU! It is one of the hottest on the planet.

Wikipedia has this to say:

"The Bhut Jolokia (also known as Naga Jolokia, Ghost Chili, Ghost Pepper, Naga Morich) is a chili pepper that grows in northeastern India (Assam, Nagaland, and Manipur), Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. In 2006, it was confirmed by Guinness World Records to be the hottest chili in the world, displacing the Red Savina."

I first tasted Aji and Rocoto in Peru. While in Cusco I was served a vegetarian pizza with what appeared to be red capsicum on top; it was fresh unseeded Rocoto. My mouth was burning for half an hour. And I used to grow the Peruvian Chinense in my garden in Perth.

The chilis above are described as follows, clockwise from top left: Bequinho (Brazil), Brazil, Peruvian Orange, Maraba Yellow (Peru). And that's John's business card in the centre.

The Habañeros above fascinated me. I had no idea there were so many varieties. Here's their description:

Top Row: Chocolate, Yellow, Paper Lantern Second Row: Lava Drop, New Mexican Suave Yellow, Peruvian White, White Bullet. Third Row: Caribbean Red, Red Savina, Tasmanian Red. Fourth Row: Costa Rica, Barbados, Standard Orange.

Out of all the Habañeros above, the Chocolate is the hottest, coming in at 450,000 SHU. The rest vary in heat down to 200,000 SHU. The New Mexico Suave is a mild 800.

I now have all these chilis spread out on trays, drying in my bedroom. I keep a respectful distance away from the Naga Morich.

Thus ends today's chili lesson. Visit John's website for some more information.

After a day back in Sydney to re-pack, I flew off to Melbourne, spending the night in my all-time favourite abode, the beautiful Melbourne Hare Krishna Temple in Albert Park. It was an icy 2 degrees as the taxi came to pick me up for my drive to Warrandyte and the home of Alison (below, centre) for an ebullient all-girl cookery event organised by the incorrigible Narelle (below, to Alison's left)

This is what we cooked, and ate.

The South Asian Shared Table

Classic Basmati Rice Pulao Hearty Split Mung Dal with Seasonal Vegetables Served with Grilled Turkish Bread Seared Chili Panir Cheese Steaks on a Bed of Sweet Potato Mash Served with Balsamic-drenched Fresh Rocket Salad Mild Karnataka-style Poriyal of Cauliflower, Potato and Peas Served with Flame-toasted Pappadams, Lemon Wedges & Yogurt Malaysian Curry Puffs Served with Hot and Sweet Tomato Chutney Creamy Cardamom-infused Condensed Yogurt Dessert With Pistachios & Saffron Syrup (Shrikhand)

Our spicy chili-seared fresh panir steaks made from rich unpasteurised milk was one of many delights. Served on a bed of buttery sweet-potato mash and balsamic-drenched peppery wild rocket leaves, it was a taste sensation.

But wait - there's more. This was only one of 5 days of kitchen bliss...

A generous sprinkling of men in the class changed the dynamics from my usual all-female extravaganzas. Here Jason pounds the Thai red curry paste.

Fennel-scented doughnuts in berry-laced Greek yogurt was the grand finale, rendering us all prostrate for a good few hours.

I managed to get to the bus depot in time for my express bus trip back to Sydney.

We were cooking for an evening meal of 60 hungry karma-yogis, hence our generous salad leaf quantities.

Our Syrian pomegranate and walnut dip required roasted red peppers, here expertly blackened over a naked flame by Govinda and Leela.

Peeling oven-roasted peanuts for the North-Indian Cabbage Salad is fun when there's a few of you doing it at once.

Julie (second from left) brought a group of friends from Berry, a small town in New South Wales, to help with cut-up duties.

Jacqui baked some phenomenal loaves of bread.

The kitchen was a pleasure to cook in. This giant Brat Pan, here attended to by Veda, was the ideal vessel to prepare cashew and cardamom-laced carrot halava, which cooked to perfection in record time.

A splendid time was had by all!

No time to serve up a full-meal posting. So here's a two-minute blog I had waiting in the cupboard for a quick snack.

Pramod from South India writes:

"Hello Kurma. Regarding growing curry leaves: I live in the western coast of southern India. Typical to any humid tropical region we get plenty of rains during monsoon and bright Sun round the year. The soil is mostly sublaterate which is not very good for gowing anything except Coconuts and Banana.

And the humus does not develop very well leading to the leaching of manure or any other input. In spite of this adverse condition we have a lot of Curry leaf plants (you call them trees!). In my parents' backyard they used to come up on their own (I mean wherever the roots of other curry leaf plants are exposed above the mud). In my front yard there are a few plants. They need a lot of Sun and moist soil.

As you have mentioned it is better to snip off the berries so that the plant does not dry up. In my case I start snipping the flowers themselves (take caution - do not cut all the flowers in the plant at the same time. I did that once and the plant went into "coma"; then it took quite sometime for the plant to recuperate).

As one of your readers mentioned, it is useful to give rice water to the plants; along with it, my mother says, feeding very thin buttermilk to enhances the aroma in the leaves. In my observation, the plant becomes bare during our winter, then with the onset of summer it turn lush again.

Also, during winter the plant is attacked by a mite that leaves tiny cottony deposits on the leaves. Which is again harmful for the growth of the plant (we don't do anything, it disappears after sometime on its own). For the trunk to gain bulk and leaves/branches to increase in number - break the tip of the branch now and then; breaking the branch just at the point where leaves start growing also helps.

The plant can also be grown in pots or polythene bags (As Bangaloreans do, due to lack of good soil or land). But when the root gets suffocated you may have to repot or transplant in a moist piece of land.

We have two varieties of Curry Leaf plants. One is wild variety with thick, darkish green leaves available in markets; but these lack in fragrance. The ones which we grow at home gardens have thin, light green leaves and these are really fragrant. Kurma, the picture of a single frond of leaves in your page looks like that of a wild variety."